THE PERFECT MATCH
March 20, or “Match Day” to medical school graduates across the country, marked one of the most important days of the year as students learned which residency program they will attend for training after graduation. According to the National Resident Matching Program, nearly 24,000 students applied for training this year and a record number of positions were offered to future residents.
“This year’s match results reflect our successful recruitment of many of the nation’s top graduating medical students,” said Joel Katz, MD (pictured, right), director of the Internal Medicine Residency at BWH. “We’re proud to welcome such a well-qualified and caring group of future residents to the BWH community. Bruce Levy (pictured, middle) and I appreciate the critical role of current residents and faculty in the process that has led to such a wonderful match.”
The Department of Medicine “matched” 68 students with a broad range of career interests including primary and subspecialty care, basic science, clinical research, health care policy, international health and medical education. Forty-one of these will enter the three-year categorical program, while 12 will be trained in primary care. Fifteen will pursue a preliminary year of internal medicine training at BWH prior to further study in fields such as dermatology, radiology and anesthesiology. Four additional residents will be joining the program as part of the Harvard-wide combined medicine-pediatrics program.
The Department of Surgery will also welcome a strong team of new residents in July. “We had a spectacular match this year, admitting a diverse group of the best medical students from across the country with a variety of long-term career plans,” said Stanley Ashley, MD, director of Surgical Residency at BWH. “I look forward to working with this extremely talented group of future surgeons.”
The Department of Surgery this year had an increase in applicants to its residency program and admitted 21 new residents, including seven in categorical general surgical positions as well as 14 specialties such as urology, otolaryngology, neurosurgery, plastic and orthopedic surgery. Nationally, there were also fewer unfilled spots in general surgery this year than there have been since 1987.
“I felt an incredible sense of excitement to have been matched here,” said Jose Mora, a current HMS student and future BWH resident in the Department of Medicine, who has spent much of his fourth year in medical school at BWH and said that he was in awe of the overwhelmingly positive attitude of residents and hospital staff.
“I’ve already felt a strong sense of support and community as a medical student here, which assures me that this will be a great place to be a resident,” added Mora. “The Brigham is a terrific place to learn medicine and continue my training as a doctor.”