Moving Tips when Relocating for Residency or Fellowship

Moving Tips when Relocating for Residency or Fellowship

By: Arun Ganti

Spring marks the end of another academic year and Match cycle. Thousands of medical students and residents will relocate for their next career stages facing the same question: how am I supposed to move my stuff? The answer is varied and can be surprisingly complex.

Relocation is part of any industry, but medical professionals, in particular, often relocate during a narrow time frame without any employer reimbursement. How does your move fit in with other major life events such as a wedding or honeymoon? How does one balance cost and convenience? Based on my own experience navigating these issues, this article provides some practical advice to help you make an informed decision.

Should I Move My “Stuff”?

“You gotta move all your stuff! And maybe, put some of your stuff in storage. Imagine that: there’s a whole industry based on keepin’ an eye on your stuff!” – George Carlin

Comedian George Carlin’s famous riff on “stuff” pokes fun at our cluttered lives. When facing a move, many factors affect whether you should relocate your belongings:

• How much stuff do you have and are you attached to it? Is your stuff bulky, or compact? You may find that most things central to your life can fit in just a few boxes.
• Are you single, or do you have a family? Is this mostly your stuff, or is it communal stuff?
• Where are you moving to and from? Are you moving back to your home state or a place you eventually hope to settle in?
• How long is your next career phase? Are you starting a seven-year neurosurgery residency, or doing a transitional year?

Depending on your situation, this can be a great time to clean house! It may make sense to move only the belongings you really use, and then start browsing Craigslist as you get settled in your new home city. For short-term moves, consider packing light and leaving larger items in a storage unit or at a trusted relative’s house.

How to Move My Stuff?

Once you’ve decided your stuff will be coming, you need to consider the various aspects of the moving process. I’ve broken this down into four components: packing, loading, transporting, and unloading. Consider the demands of each step, and whether you want to hire help or DIY.

Packing

Unless you are receiving a relocation reimbursement from your new employer, I see very few reasons to hire a company to help you pack. Live like a resident and DIY! If you are concerned about how to pack fragile items, consult online for tips and don’t be stingy with the bubble wrap. Extra bubble wrap is much cheaper than hiring outside help! As you pack, consider how you will organize your new living space (compared to your current layout). Pack your boxes accordingly, thinking about what you will need to find for each room in your new home. This can help you save time on the other end, and let you stay focused on getting to know your new city.

Loading

This is another step where DIY solutions can help you save money. Utilize your established friend network to help with this task. Offer to do a few errands or to pitch in on their own move, in exchange for their help. Heavy furniture or specialty items probably should be handled by professionals. Consider hiring hourly movers to help load these items.

Transporting

This step requires the most planning. Different options include DIY moving trucks, shipping containers, and full-service moving companies. There are pros and cons to each.  

The primary DIY method is to rent a moving truck and drive it to your destination. This is often cheaper than hiring a moving company, but, it requires you to invest the most time. If you do plan to rent a moving truck, remember: this won’t be like your Spring Break road trips in college. Be sure to budget your time and money appropriately for hidden expenses and inconveniences, such as tolls, inefficient gas mileage, lower speed limits, weigh stations, and vehicle height restrictions. Instead of a moving truck, some may choose to rent a moving trailer, and tow it with their own car. In either scenario, remember that your belongings aren’t insured against any damage unless you specifically opt-in for coverage.

Another option is portable shipping containers. Depending on the company, shipping containers allow for significant flexibility. You can choose door-to-door delivery (packing and unpacking the container yourself as it sits on your driveway), or you can load and unload at regional storage hubs. Some companies charge based on the container size (no matter how much you fill inside), and others charge based on the linear feet you use within the container (better sharpen those Tetris skills!).

Usually, your container is delivered on a specific day, and you are given a generous amount of time to load. Once loaded, your container can be shipped to your new destination right away, or held in storage (sometimes for a low monthly fee, and sometimes at no cost). Companies usually guarantee a pick-up date, but often only provide an estimated window for delivery (which can be as wide as one week). This uncertainty can be a dealbreaker if you are on a tight schedule before starting your new position.

Make sure you have the appropriate permits and approvals to store the container on the street or parking lot. In my most recent move, I arranged for a container to be delivered, before finding out my apartment complex was repaving the parking lot during the same time frame. Without the ability to temporarily store the container, I was forced to go with a different option.

Full-service move options include large van lines and smaller regional moving companies. If using a large van line you typically fill out an online form in order to arrange to meet a local agent in person and receive a quote. Many of these companies are nationally recognized and have extensive experience with complicated moves. If you have a large inventory, a wide geographical moving distance, or specialty items, these companies may provide important services. Various companies offer different packages, pricing structures, and insurance options. Do your homework to ensure you are appropriately comparing quotes! Typically, you will not do your own loading and unloading, which will add to your costs. As with shipping containers, delivery to the destination will generally occur in a multi-day window.

Regional moving companies can offer significant flexibility in their services. Given their smaller size, they may be willing to negotiate and listen to interesting proposals that allow you to save on your move (see the Specific Tips section below). Importantly, these companies may be able to guarantee both pick-up and delivery dates. You may have to do additional homework on these companies since they don’t have the same national reputation. Be sure to get references.

Picking a moving company can be a daunting task. There are already several articles available online with tips on how to make this decision. Using these, we’ve compiled a helpful checklist:

• Check the Better Business Bureau and US Department of Transportation websites to ensure a moving company is licensed and reputable. 
• Get an in-home price estimate. Ask about a video chat if the company is located out of state.
• Get a written guarantee of the maximum, all-inclusive price. Make sure this includes any insurance options you want, and make sure you are clear about what labor is involved as part of your move. If this is calculated upfront in your contract, there should be no on-site changes or surprises where you are asked to pay additional money.
• Some medical schools and residencies advertise “special offers” with specific agents or companies. However, don’t use this endorsement blindly! Shop around. You may find that the “special offer” was actually more expensive than the competition!

Bottom line: do your research and don’t ignore any warning signs. You don’t want to end up with your belongings being held hostage by a company that isn’t properly certified.  

Unloading

Many of the same tips from the “loading” section apply here. If you are in a new city, you may not have an established friend network to help you. Think about this ahead of time as you are planning your budget, in case you need to hire help on the back end of your move.  

Specific Tips

Timing is Everything

When is the exact timing of your move? Are you flexible? Think about your situation: you graduate medical school, pack up, and then move for residency. Right? Most moving companies are busiest (read: most expensive) between May and September when they know you are likely to move. With Match Day in mid-to-late March, getting an early start on your move can save costs.

Your window of opportunity may be small, depending on your flexibility. For example, if you’re able to live with minimal belongings for a few weeks, try calling moving companies to check their availability in April (rather than May or June). You may be able to negotiate better rates during their offseason and save money, even if you end up paying for storage.

Moving prices are quoted on a sliding scale, depending on the exact days. Even if your months are not flexible, check specific weeks and days-of-the-week. The middle of the month typically features lower rates, since many leases start and end near the 1st of each month.

When Do I Start?

What are the requirements for your new job? Do you have orientations or required certification courses before you begin? July 1st has been the traditional clinical start date for residencies, but many programs now require orientations in prior weeks. Find out ASAP after Match Day what your start date will be so you can plan your move accordingly.

Work Backward and Find a Moving Partner

You’re moving from City A to City B, so you think to call moving companies in City A to get quotes. Right? But, also make sure to call companies in City B; ask if they have any moves already scheduled to your current area in City A. You may get lucky and find that a company is already planning a one-way move from City B to City A in your time frame, allowing you to negotiate a significantly discounted move. This is a win-win situation for everyone!

Finding a moving partner (that is, someone moving to and from the same cities as you, but in the opposite direction) can be another way to save on costs. Particularly in the medical profession, many medical students and residents are moving to and from the same regional medical centers during the same time frame. As a pair, you have the leverage to negotiate a discounted move for both of you. 

This is the idea behind Backlode, and stems from my experience moving from Saint Louis, MO to Ann Arbor, MI for residency. My initial plan was to use a shipping container. I had friends to help with loading and needed to hire movers to help with unloading. As luck would have it, the first company that I called happened to be moving an incoming fellow to Saint Louis during my time frame and offered to do the entire move for less than what the shipping container cost.

Take a look at the match lists for local residency programs to see if any of the incoming residents would make a suitable moving partner. Seemingly innocuous conversations around the hospital about your upcoming career plans may also help you find a moving partner. “That’s where our new Critical Care fellow is coming from” can turn into an opportunity to save money.

Strength in Numbers

Many of your classmates are moving in the same time frame as you. Ask your friends and look at your school’s Match list. You may find opportunities to split a shipping container or moving truck. Get creative! Even if you aren’t moving to the same exact city, regional moving companies may be willing to give you a discount for combining two moves within close proximity. It can’t hurt to ask!

Budgeting and Saving Up Money for Your Move

Calculate an estimated moving budget. This important step will help you prioritize how you spend your time and money during this process. Relocation costs can be expensive, but they are expected within our profession and something you can plan for in advance. While you may not know your exact destination until Match Day, you should have a good sense for whether you are going to need to relocate well before that. If you are applying primarily to out-of-state programs, save for this throughout the year. While schools and private organizations offer relocation loans, these should only be used as a last resort.

Final Thoughts: Time, Money, and Convenience

As with many other financial decisions, the choice on if and how to move your belongings boils down to what’s more valuable: time or money. Unfortunately, as an early-career medical professional, you are likely short on both. However, with careful planning, hopefully, your move will be cost-effective and smooth, allowing you to focus on the new professional chapter in your life.

What do you think? Do you have any tips from your own experience when moving for residency or fellowship?

Arun Ganti is an Emergency Medicine Fellow in Wilderness Medicine and started Backlode – a free service to help connect medical professionals moving to and from the same cities and medical centers. In his free time, he enjoys about anything outside, particularly cycling, hiking/backpacking, and ice climbing.

LifeofaMedStudent has no relationship with Dr. Ganti or Backlode. 

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