Match Day approaches
Match Day is quickly approaching. Here's a run down on what that means. Match Day is a national celebration as all medical students find out on the same day where they have matched (exception: those in the "early match" system, of which Neurology and Urology are a part). For Rush students, the president/CEO Dr. Larry Goodman invites us all into his home (the Sessions House on the corner of Loomis and Harrison) on the morning of Match Day, with brunch. Our advisers hand out our Match letters and we decide to run into the bathroom to open our letter in private or do it publicly so that everyone may see the enthusiasm or disappointment in our eyes.
This is how it all comes about. After months of interviews, some students traveling all over the country to do so, we submit a "match list," as do the programs with which we interview. These were submitted February 22. Then we wait until Thursday, March 16 to receive The Letter. This letter handed to us by our student adviser holds the program match, the information that decides where we will each be for our residencies for the next 3-7 years (depending on the specialty each student is going into). Even though it is supposed to be an applicant driven-process, we all worry that our first, second, third, etc. choices may not happen. I started interviews on October 31 and ended on February 2: one long job interview! It's an exciting time, students nervously awaiting the results, yet looking forward to graduation and starting a career.
Today started with The E-mail. The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) sent the "Congratulations! You have matched," e-mail today to most students. I luckily got that one. I know that I have matched but not where. For those who got the unlucky e-mail of not being matched, they start the process of "scramble" tomorrow. Working with the Dean's office and various physicians acting as representatives to the students, unfilled programs are called and unmatched students fill the slots. Often this works very well, and no one is the wiser on who in the class was a scrambler versus not.
Pray for good programs coming my way -- I'm ready for Thursday!
This is how it all comes about. After months of interviews, some students traveling all over the country to do so, we submit a "match list," as do the programs with which we interview. These were submitted February 22. Then we wait until Thursday, March 16 to receive The Letter. This letter handed to us by our student adviser holds the program match, the information that decides where we will each be for our residencies for the next 3-7 years (depending on the specialty each student is going into). Even though it is supposed to be an applicant driven-process, we all worry that our first, second, third, etc. choices may not happen. I started interviews on October 31 and ended on February 2: one long job interview! It's an exciting time, students nervously awaiting the results, yet looking forward to graduation and starting a career.
Today started with The E-mail. The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) sent the "Congratulations! You have matched," e-mail today to most students. I luckily got that one. I know that I have matched but not where. For those who got the unlucky e-mail of not being matched, they start the process of "scramble" tomorrow. Working with the Dean's office and various physicians acting as representatives to the students, unfilled programs are called and unmatched students fill the slots. Often this works very well, and no one is the wiser on who in the class was a scrambler versus not.
Pray for good programs coming my way -- I'm ready for Thursday!