Thursday, March 10, 2016
The date March 18, 2016 will be etched into the memory of every graduating medical student in the United States, including members of the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB) Class of 2016.
This is Match Day. On Match Day, each member of the class will open an envelope that holds news of residency placement, where they will be spending the next few years, learning, working long hours, and pursuing dreams.
Although some students come to medical school with an idea of what specialty they would like to pursue, for most, it is a process of discovering how their passions match their talents. For those of us fortunate enough to work with students, there is nothing more exciting than the look of joy when a student finally finds the specialty they will call “home” for the rest of their career.
After months of preparing applications, writing personal statements, and interviewing, the residency application process comes down to “the match.” Students rank residency programs in order of preference and programs rank the students.
When our soon-to-be physicians open their envelopes on Match Day, they are being recognized for their hard work. Our students finally begin to visualize themselves as a doctor.
When our OUWB medical students open the envelope on March 18, they open the doors to their professional futures.