Oh yeah, I'm sure everyone that gets one and completes one can commit to living in one city for like 4 or 5 years. No one ever needs to move for some reason elsewhere to complete it. Very believable.
They are probably more rare than NHL head coaching jobs for that discipline and for being an DO. If you don't know the difference between an MD and a DO; or how competitive and highly sought different specialties are for Residency and Fellowships among physicians then you should sit this one out.
The best physician students get awarded their choice of residency to pursue their specialty of choice. If you don't make the cut you get 2nd choice, 3rd, etc. on down the line. She isn't just "a physician", she is pursuing a Neurosurgery specialty; which is one of the premium specialties. Sure, she could just give that up and be an ER physician or family doctor which are easy residencies to obtain; but it isn't a "slam dunk" and would be akin to Trouba just saying: "I'll go play for the Adirondack Thunder because it's still just being a hockey player". Over the course of 30+ years as a Neurosurgeon she will make comparable earnings to Trouba does in his hockey career so it's not like she is doing this for a $100k/year job; she can make $500k-$1,000,000+ if she wants.
Most physicians that achieve those residencies and fellowships do, in fact, dedicate 3-4 years at a specific university/teaching hospital and their family supports them during this time. Nearly every surgeon in the US has done this.
I have been in physician recruitment and healthcare management; I'm not an expert; but I'm not ignorant either.
Go look at how complex the
National Resident Matching Program (
NRMP) is and how many physician students get left out entirely.