Nervous smiles, sweaty palms, jittery nerves they was all there Thursday at the Boston University School of Medicine’s Match Day, the day graduating medical students find out where they would go to complete their residency.
‘We’re going to know where we’re going to be for the next four to five years,’ said Erik Gellella, 27. ‘It’s pretty crazy having that all written in stone.’
Gellella was waiting to be matched with one of his choices for radiology schools in New York, Boston or Philadelphia.
As the long line of anxious students slugged on, students held hands and started praying.
‘This is it, guys!’ yelled someone from behind.
Inside the mailroom, the 155 students of the 2003 graduating class held their nerves as they opened their mailboxes to retrieve their future. While professors looked on, equally nervous, students opened their letters, some taking time to settle their shivering fingers, and others impatiently ripping the envelopes.
‘We’re hoping everyone’s happy,’ said Maureen Burke who works for the chairman of surgery at the medical school and was involved in writing recommendations and setting up interviews for the students. ‘I’m interested to see if they matched.’
The tension finally exploded into cheerful shouts, hugs and high fives, as students read through their letters.
‘I feel great!’ said Raymond Jeane, 25, who got matched in to University of Pittsburg for its surgery program, along with his friend Alison Abiri, 25, who would be going into Emergency Medicine.
‘I’m relieved that we finally know where we’re going,’ said Shetarra Walker, 25, headed for the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. ‘I’m ready to celebrate!’
Numerous students found out they would be staying right here in Boston.
‘I am going to be here at BU,’ said Craig Moronha, 25. ‘A lot of my friends matched here too.’
As other students got on cellular phones or ran over to computers to inform their friends and family, some sat in quiet satisfaction with their loved ones.
‘I definitely wanted to stay here in Boston with my wife and son,’ said 26 year-old Mark Beaumont, who also got into the BU Medical School. ‘I’ve heard it’s going to be tough and I’m sure it is, but I’m looking forward to it. My wife’s here to help me out.’
‘It’s going to be challenging,’ said Mary-Ellen Pavone, 25, who got into Johns Hopkins University for the obstetrician, gynecology program. ‘It’s going to be challenging and invigorating being there among the smartest and best people, it’s going to be hard hours … It’s going to be amazing!’
But alongside the celebration, there were some disappointments. Even though all students already knew they had been matched somewhere, some got choices lower on their list and away from Boston.
‘It’s so hard to know what to expect,’ said Lupe Roldan, 26, headed to Houston to pursue family medicine. ‘It’s exciting but definitely hard because we will have to move to other cities.’
Despite some disappointments, the class was generally a success. Among some matches were prestigious names like Harvard University, Dartmouth University, Brown University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University and University of Pennsylvania.
‘This was a very very successful match,’ said Dr. Aram Chobanian, dean and provost of BU Medical Campus, to the students gathered at the Hiebert Lounge to share a toast of celebration.
‘We haven’t had any [matches] as good as this, in terms of the outcome,’ said Chobanian to the loudly cheering students. ‘We are very proud of you.’
The dean announced the graduation speaker as Dr. Mary Jane England, President of Regis College in Weston, Mass.
The class finally joined their glasses to toast their four years of hard work and long hours and to their futures of similar commitment and excellence.
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