By Katherine Dvorak
Excited. Nervous. Hopeful. A little overwhelmed. That’s how Diana Lee described her emotions as the clock slowly ticked to noon on Friday, when medical students across the country discovered where they would begin residency training.
“It’s crazy to see us all here at the end of the finish line, with friends and family all together to share the moment,” said Ms. Lee, a fourth-year medical student at the George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences and recipient of the Eugene B. Casey Scholarship Fund, which provides a four-year scholarship for tuition, room and board.
A nervous excitement buzzed through GW’s Ross Hall as Ms. Lee entered Room 101, an auditorium-style classroom. When the countdown began, the noise became deafening. Students used gold letter openers, donated by the SMHS Office of Development and Alumni Relations, to rip open their long-awaited white envelopes.
Ms. Lee’s eyes welled with tears as she took in the words on the piece of paper. She was accepted into her top choice: an internal medicine residency at the New York University School of Medicine.
“I’m so excited, I can’t believe it,” she said. “The people there were amazing, everyone was so passionate about medicine and the work they do. I’m so thankful to get to be a part of that.”
Two School of Medicine and Health Sciences students embrace after opening their envelopes during Match Day on Friday. (Barbara McGowan/ Biomedical Communications)
Match Day marks a once-in-a-lifetime experience, said medical student Merrick Tan. Surrounded by his four siblings and his mom, who traveled to Washington, D.C., from Northern California for the event, Mr. Tan opened his letter and learned that he’ll be returning to the West Coast to become an anesthesiology resident at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine.
"Family and balance have always been very important to me,” Mr. Tan said. “My family keeps me grounded and reminds me that being a doctor is just one of the many blessings I have.”
Mr. Tan was an Adopt-a-Doc scholar and earned a Boone Memorial Fund Scholarship.
Jenny Dave won’t be going far to start her internal medicine residency: She matched with GW.
“It was my No. 1 choice,” Ms. Dave said. “I really couldn’t picture myself anywhere else.”
Jeffrey S. Akman, dean of SMHS, thanked friends and family members for attending Match Day. Some family members traveled from as far as Hong Kong to support the soon-to-be graduates. He also thanked the students for their commitment and hard work.
“We’re so proud of you, we’re thrilled you’ve made it to this point and we’re excited about your futures and where today will lead you,” he said. “So good luck, I hope … that wherever you end up in terms of matching for your residency, you stay in touch with us and stay connected and make us proud.”
The class of 2018 matched at institutions including Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Yale New Haven Hospital, Stanford School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Naval Medical Center San Diego. Fourteen students will continue their training at GW, and two will train at Children’s National Health System.
