Look Who's Talking

On the heels of Match Day in March, BWH Clinical & Research News asks readers to reflect on their own Match Day experiences.

Ingrid Katz, MD, MHS
Division of Women's Health

Match Day was incredibly meaningful to me. I started medical school as an "older student" (28 years old doesn't feel that old to me now :). My wife, Alexi Wright, was at UPenn for medical school, and I was at UCSF, and after being apart for many years we knew we never wanted to do that again, so we decided to couple's match. At many of the places we interviewed, we were the first openly gay couple to apply. On Match Day, we were both in Cali. Alexi's program director at UPenn sent her envelope to UCSF, so we could open them at the same time. I went in and got them both and then we drove out to the ocean to open them together. BWH was our first choice, but it was so competitive, we honestly didn't know how it was going to go. We stood there by the expansive Pacific and opened them together - and I remember just jumping for joy! That was the beginning of our journey into medicine together as a couple, and it was a purely joyous moment in our lives.

Jason Ojeda, MD
Chief Resident, Internal Medicine

Matched with BWH in 2009

"I remember getting my envelope and being very nervous about not knowing where I was heading or which city I would be living in. But once I opened it and saw it was going to be the Brigham, all that nervousness turned into excitement. I'm in my last year of residency now, and all I can say is that it's been a fantastic experience."

Fidencio Saldana, MD, MPH
Division of Cardiology

Matched with BWH in 2001

"I remember being very excited, but nervous, too. Everyone reassures you that everything is going to be ok, and for me, opening the envelope to see I had match at the Brigham was incredible. I've been here ever since, and I feel lucky and blessed to have been matched here. It doesn't matter whether you build your career here, like I did, or branch out to other places around the world - you are part of the Brigham family, and you'll always have a home here."

Betsy Nabel, MD

BWH President
Matched with BWH in 1981

"During my Match Day, I was in rural Kenya working with community health workers on a global health project, so it wasn't until I came back that I learned I would be coming to the Brigham. I couldn't wait to get started, and it has been a fabulous experience every since."

Joel Katz, MD
Residency Director, Internal Medicine

Matched with BWH in 1991

"During my Match Day, I was vacationing in Florida with my family. We had a one-year-old son, and I remember that I called the dean of my medical school and almost jumped through the ceiling when I learned I was coming to the Brigham! I like Match Day because it's an exciting time for all of us. We're welcoming a new group of diverse, dedicated and talented interns who are eager to learn, and we are equally eager to welcome them into the Brigham family."

Vinod Nambudiri, MD, MBA
Third-year resident

Matched with BWH in 2010

"I remember Match Day as one with a lot of intense emotions, especially in the morning waiting to find out. Once I matched with BWH, I knew I was going to the best place possible. The training here is demanding, but very rewarding. Every day, I learn something new from my patients and my colleagues."