No alternate universe needed for this Match Day

From an athletic acrobat walking across the stage in a handstand to a stripping firefighter showing off his muscles, fourth-year medical students from the Medical University of South Carolina unveiled their creative sides March 17 to celebrate Match Day 2017.

The theme of the day: “An alternate universe: If I weren’t a doctor, I would be…”

Match Day occurs on the third Friday of March each year at medical schools across the nation as students find out results of the National Resident Matching Program, which uses an algorithm to pair students with hospitals that have a place for them. It’s a day of high drama and emotion as students open their letters revealing where they will be going to practice medicine. Dressed in costumes and often accompanied by children, family or friends, the 171 students who matched have an opportunity to celebrate on center stage.

Senior class president Cody Gathers, dressed as quarterback Tom Brady, exuded his usual charm, getting laughs from the audience as he opened the ceremony. He reminded everyone of the long hours of work that it took for them to get to this day.

“Ultimately, never forget the moment you knew exactly what it was that you wanted to be. And that’s the moment we all are here for right now. Today is the day we find out not only the results of an algorithm, but also the results of all your hard work – everything that you’ve put in – and where you’ll be for the next three to six years.”

For him, that moment came later in the ceremony, when he waited to open his letter on stage. He paused, uncharacteristically silent for a moment. “Sorry, I’m about to cry,” he said, announcing a prestigious placement in pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Donna Kern, M.D., senior associate dean for medical education, dressed as an astronaut. She explained that she grew up in Florida watching launches, drawing parallels between medicine and space science. “Both fields have incredible dedication to discovery, intense problem solving, critical teamwork. Both are built on a firm foundation of science, the physician and the astronaut both committing to lifelong learning and training.”

Match Day is a important milestone, a safe landing of sorts along the journey. She reminded students to keep a global perspective. “We know each of you has the potential to change the world around you, and we look forward to watching you do that.”

College of Medicine Dean Raymond DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., dressed as a safari guide, echoed that theme. The dean, who just celebrated his first anniversary at MUSC, said he’s been on a few safaris and that the guides seem to be some of the happiest people he knows. It reflects the right attitude.

“It’s time to open your mind to new ideas, new approaches to medicine and new ways to explore your passion. It’s time to celebrate what you know and what you can do and a time to learn what you will still need to know and the skills you need to perfect. So today, the journey really begins.”

Before he left for his internship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, DuBois had never travelled outside the borders of his home state of Texas and had no idea what living in an urban environment was like. He experienced “feet to the fire” training and remembers it as an amazing growth process. “The day you cross that threshold from feeling like you know nothing to feeling like,

‘Hey, this is a tough case, but I can work through it,’ it gives you an incredible sense of euphoria. One day in the near future, many of you will save someone’s life, and that is one of the best feelings that we have in this profession.”

As a physician-scientist, DuBois has been to all seven continents and has medical colleagues all over the world. “What I’ve learned is that medicine really is a global endeavor. Your success as a doctor, the patients you treat, the procedures you learn, the discoveries you make will positively affect not only your patients, but everyone across the world.”

For some fourth-year medical students, it may be hard to imagine making this kind of difference. DuBois challenged them to embrace the idea.

“Trust me, as someone who came from a very rural background — from an impoverished, backwater town, a poor family — I really marvel at the good fortune I’ve had to become a doctor and a scientist. I certainly feel like the luckiest man in the world to be able to pursue my passion in medicine and science.”

That sentiment was echoed by many who walked across the stage. Of 171 fourth-year medical students who entered the National Residency Match Program, 95.3 percent successfully matched.

DuBois said he’s pleased that the MUSC College of Medicine is matching students at a slightly higher rate than the national average of 94.3 percent. “Our students are outstanding and are competing very well for prestigious programs all over the country.” 

A large number of MUSC students will remain in South Carolina for their training and nearly 32 percent will enter training in primary care, an area of significant need. A total of 44 students (27 percent) will remain in South Carolina to complete their residency training, 31 of those at MUSC. Nearly 32 percent of the class will be entering the primary care specialties of internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics and medicine-pediatrics, a number that increases to 38.7 percent when obstetrics and gynecology is included.

Of the specialties in which students will be pursuing their training, internal medicine led the way with the highest number of students at 24 (14.7 percent of the graduating class). Other popular specialties included family medicine (8.6 percent), pediatrics (8 percent), emergency medicine (8 percent), anesthesia (8 percent), psychiatry (6.7 percent) and obstetrics and gynecology (6.7 percent). Students also matched into general surgery, psychiatry, radiology, pathology, ophthalmology, dermatology, otolaryngology, orthopedic surgery, urology, neurology, radiation oncology, physical medicine and rehabilitation and various other surgical sub-specialties. Ten students (6.1 percent) will complete residency through the military. 

Despite all the jokes and fun, the underlying sentiment of the day was that there was no need for an alternate universe. It’s been too much hard work to get here. Fourth-year medical student John “Taco” Robinson, dressed as — of course —  a taco, said he had to depend on jobs in the food industry to get him through school and medical school. It was tough, but well worth it. Going into neurology, Robinson will continue his training at the University of Florida. He thanked all of those who helped him make it.

“I had to work all the way through. Don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t do it.”

See more photos in the Match Day 2017 photo gallery.