Roll out the red carpet!

The smile on Hafeez Olalemi's face says it all.

Moments earlier, surrounded by family and his School of Medicine M4 classmates, he learned he would complete his anesthesiology training at the University of Texas in Houston.

"It was my No. 1 choice," Olalemi says. "The program is really good and produces a well-rounded anesthesiologist."

Olalemi's medical career began as an intensive care unit nurse. When he decided to come to medical school, he set his sights on becoming an anesthesiologist because they are "calm and cool," even as they're anticipating what could go wrong. "That's the type of doctor I wanted to be."

The Class of 2019 gathered together for the annual rite of passage known as Match Day, where fourth-year medical students from around the country learn their residency training destinations. This year's theme was "Red Carpet."

When Olalemi received his sealed envelope, he refrained from opening it right away. He wanted to wait till his classmates had their letters in hand, too.

"This is one big celebration," he says. "We're all in this together."

2019 Match Results

VCU School of Medicine is pleased to announce the results of the 2019 Main Residency Match: 97.5 percent of our graduating students matched into a PGY-1 position prior to the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), well above the national average of 94.9 percent.

• 82 students (41%) matched into primary care specialties: 36 in Internal Medicine; 28 in Family Medicine; 18 in Pediatrics. 
• 22 of our students matched into Emergency Medicine;
• 16 into Obstetrics/Gynecology;
• 14 into General Surgery;
• 10 into Anesthesiology;
• nine each into Orthopaedic Surgery and Psychiatry;
• six into Diagnostic Radiology;
• five into Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation;
• four each into Neurology and Otolaryngology;
• three into Pathology;
• two each into Dermatology and Radiation Oncology;
• one each into Child Neurology, Integrated Plastic Surgery and Interventional Radiology. 

In addition, one student each matched into the following combined programs: Internal Medicine/Women’s Health, Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine/Hospital Medicine. 

When including early match results with seven students matching into Ophthalmology, three into Urology and four into military programs, the Class of 2019 performed exceptionally well in the increasingly competitive residency match process.

Our students matched into top residency programs all across the country, including 35 students (17%) who will be staying at VCU Health (including VCU-affiliated Family Medicine residency programs) for the duration of their residency training, with 10 students completing preliminary training here in either Internal Medicine or General Surgery.  A total of 51 students (25%) will complete all or part of their residency training in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

“We would like to thank all of the faculty advisers, coaches and mentors who have worked closely with our students to assure they will become exceptional residents in the training programs they join across the country,” says Chris Woleben, M.D., the medical school's associate dean for student affairs.