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Vital Signs

Much merry-making marks Match Day

By Jennifer Durgin

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The exuberance at this year's Match Day was due partly to the fact that it coincided with St. Patrick's Day and partly to the good news that students received.

So overcome was he with the excitement of Match Day that even before Derick Jenkins opened his letter, he gave DMS's dean, Dr. Wiley "Chip" Souba, a mighty bear hug, lifting him right off the ground. Jenkins then headed for the door to open his letter in private. His classmates would have to wait to hear that Jenkins, a Southerner, will be heading south to train in anesthesiology at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn.

Joy: But not all the fourth-years retreated to the hallway to learn where they'll begin their residency training. Most tore open their Match envelopes right away and then shrieked, smiled, or jumped for joy while calling out the results.

Two-inch heels didn't stop Isida Byku from jumping up and down when she read her letter from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Byku, who is from Albania, had ranked Johns Hopkins's internal medicine program first. Now, three and a half months after her interview there, she got the answer she was hoping for.

"Growing up in Albania," she said, "I could not possibly even imagine my life as it is today."

Making light of Match Day

Watch a mockumentary about the big day
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Alissa Curda got the answer she was hoping for, too. She flashed a big smile as she read her letter aloud. "For pediatrics . . . Seattle Children's!" she called out, before turning to her fiancé, Mark Roberts, a DMS '10 who will soon begin his residency in anesthesiology, also in Seattle.

Match Day fell on St. Patrick's Day this year, lending an extra-festive note to the event. The mood was also enhanced by a humorous video created by three '11s that was shown before the ceremony.

In all, 62 of the '11s matched in positions in 23 states, D.C., and Canada. Massachusetts and California will welcome the most—8 each. Internal medicine attracted 23 students, followed by pediatrics with 7, anesthesiology with 5, and family practice and ob-gyn with 4 each.

Nationally, 37,735 students applied for 26,158 positions in the NRMP. Established in 1952, it uses a computerized algorithm to match graduating medical students with residency programs nationwide.

They tore open their envelopes and shrieked, smiled, or jumped for joy.

DMS faculty and students alike were delighted with this year's results. Dr. David Nierenberg, senior associate dean for medical education, deemed the '11s "extremely talented," while Dr. Joseph O'Donnell, senior advising dean, said "the future of patient care is in good hands."

Coming: And the same day, 121 M.D.'s-to-be learned they'd be coming to DHMC for their training; 8 to the New Hampshire-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency in Concord; and 10 to the Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency in Augusta.


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