SC Med Students Learn Their Fate on Match Day
Charleston, SC – When she was 7 years old in Beirut, Nour Hijazi got a book about American cities, and one in particular captured her heart. “Ever since then, my dream has been to live in New York City,” she said. On Match Day at the Medical University of South Carolina, her dream came true, along with the dreams of many of her medical school classmates.
Match Day Ritual
Match Day is an annual ritual when tens of thousands of senior medical students across the country, and the world, simultaneously find out where they will spend the next several years in a medical residency training program learning a specialty and honing their craft. Nearly 45,000 students submitted a ranked choice list for 41,503 positions at 6,395 programs this year, according to the National Resident Matching Program. A computer then compares that to the program’s ranked list of students and a “match” with the student’s highest choice is selected.
Dreams Come True
For Hijazi, it was all about the vascular surgery residency at Mount Sinai in New York City. Taking the stage to Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind,” Hijazi had pre-selected the song as a way of “manifesting I would end up in New York City. And I did,” she said to loud cheers from the audience. Others like Lee Cagle, who matched in ENT at MUSC, and Ryan Moore and Caroline Fields, a couple matching at Duke University, also celebrated their dream placements.
Staying Close to Home
While some students chose to venture to new locations for their residencies, many opted to stay close to home. In South Carolina, 35 percent of MUSC’s class will stay in the state for their residencies. The sense of community at MUSC and the strong training programs in various specialties drew many students to make that choice.
A Bright Future Ahead
As these medical students embark on the next phase of their journey to becoming practicing physicians, the excitement and anticipation were palpable at Match Day ceremonies. With the support of faculty, fellow students, and loved ones, they are ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in their chosen specialties.
It’s a momentous occasion for these students, marking the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. Match Day not only determines their immediate future but also sets the stage for their professional careers as healthcare providers. For many, it’s a dream come true, and the beginning of a fulfilling and rewarding chapter in their lives.
