Event Matches Students, Hospitals

All of the students' names were called individually for their brief "moment of fame," during which they received an envelope and applause from friends.

The envelope contained the name of the hospital where each student will be working next year.

Match Day, as the ceremony is called, began with a few words from Jeffrey Houpt, dean of UNC's School of Medicine. He said 47 of the 153 students' residencies will be in North Carolina, with 26 at UNC Hospitals.

As students discovered where they would be working, they shared many hugs, smiles and abrupt screams. After the last student's name was called, there was a large, final round of applause, complete with shouts of joy.

In the past, about 60 percent of UNC medical students got their first choice for residency and about 85 percent got one of their top three choices, Houpt said.

He said the medical school is not tracking similar statistics for this year.

Georgette Dent, associate dean of student affairs for the medical school, said students apply for residencies during the summer before their last year of medical school and interview during the winter.

Students then submit their top preferences for residencies along with 16,000 other medical school seniors across the nation.

These seniors and 19,000 other independent candidates compete for 23,000 residencies. The hospitals and candidates rank their top choices, and a computer program matches applicants with residencies.

Lydia Lewis, senior operations manager for medical education, said Match Day is fun every year. "It is the most exciting and fantastic culmination of medical school," Lewis said.

Noelle Robertson of Raleigh learned Thursday that she will complete her residency at the Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro next year.

"It's my first choice, and I'm so excited," she said. Robertson said she is happy because one of her good friends will be conducting her residency there, too.

Heather Crouse from Winston-Salem also got her first choice of residency, at the Boston Children's Hospital. "It's amazing," she said. "I'm so excited for everyone. I'm so proud of everyone. I've never seen this much energy in one room."

Both of Beth Bumgarner's parents, who are from Hickory, traveled to Chapel Hill for Match Day. Donald Bumgarner said he is "happy, delighted and thrilled" for his daughter. "I felt that she would get there, where she wanted to go," Bumgarner said.

Beth Bumgarner is going into pediatrics at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, her first choice. "I'm very relieved," she said. "There's a whole flurry of emotions."

Dent, who helped plan Match Day, said of the 153 graduating medical students, 149 were matched with a residency.

She said the remaining four probably deferred their residencies.

"I am extremely proud of this year's class," Dent said. "These are first-rate programs that they match into."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.