University of Michigan students had a lot to celebrate over the past weekend, but for Medical School students, St. Patrick’s Day festivities and the Michigan Men’s Basketball team’s stunning win against Houston were just icing on the cake after they learned where they would be completing their residencies in the annual Match Day event Friday.
On this year’s Match Day, 162 Medical School students found out where they would be continuing their training along with students from other medical schools nationwide. At the University’s Match Day event, graduating students were surrounded by friends, family and peers as they tore open envelopes containing the letters that foretold their futures.
According to a Crain’s Detroit article, the National Resident Matching Program, which facilitates matches between senior Medical School students and residency programs, projected there would be 43,000 applicants vying for 33,000 available residency spots in 2018. The University graduated a particularly strong class with 99.4 percent of graduates being matched with a residency program despite growing competition for these spots.
In addition, out of these 162 graduating seniors, about one-third applied and matched with programs in highly competitive specialties. Twenty-eight students are graduating with both a medical degree and an additional advanced degree from either the University or another equally challenging graduate program.
Rajesh Mangrulkar, the associate dean for medical student education, said the University encourages students and provides them with the resources to strive for their top-choice residency programs. Mangrulkar called Match Day exciting not only for students, but also for faculty who get the chance to see their students succeed.
“Every year, our students strive to reach their goals in the match, and every year this day is such an important moment,” Mangrulkar told Michigan Medicine. “Match Day gives us a chance to celebrate their aspirations as we prepare to send them off to the next phase of their career.”
University students will finish their medical school careers with graduation on May 11, after which they will be sent off across the nation to start their residencies.