Results are in for students hoping to train in Ophthalmology and Urology — two highly-competitive specialties that have traditionally conducted early Match processes. Again this year, hopeful applicants outnumbered residency slots, and I am proud to see that all our students applying to these specialties have matched to strong residency programs.
Three current students and one former graduate saw success in the 2015 Ophthalmology Residency Match:
• Steven Fish – West Virginia University Eye Institute ( Morgantown, W.Va.)
• Katherine McCabe – New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (New York, N.Y.)
• Adam Pflugrath – VCU School of Medicine (Richmond, Va.)
• John Le, M’12 – VCU School of Medicine (Richmond, Va.)
Both the students participating in the Urology Match have secured positions:
• Zachary McDowell – Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, Texas)
• Jordan Southern – Geisinger Medical Center (Danville, Penn.)
In addition, 11 students have participated in a variety of military scholarship programs, which cover medical school tuition and fees. In exchange, after graduating, the students will serve one year of active duty for each year of scholarship support received. This year, three of the students elected to take a civilian deferment, and we are proud to see the remainder have matched into the specialties of their choice:
• Geoff Bader – Internal Medicine at Keesler AFB
• Erin Connor – Family Medicine at Madigan AMC
• Albert Marle – Internal Medicine at Eisenhower AMC
• Barbara Saber – Ob-Gyn at Portsmouth NMC
• Matthew Schorr – Transitional Year at Eisenhower AMC
• Philip Sholes – General Surgery at Walter Reed AMC
• Scott Toney – Pediatrics San Diego at NMC
• Brittany Wootten – Emergency Medicine at Portsmouth NMC
The Urology, Ophthalmology and Military match processes are independent of the National Resident Matching Program.
Recent years have seen the National Resident Matching Program become an ever-more competitive process. I’m glad to report that our medical school’s graduating class typically equals or exceeds the national average of students matching. We’ve also been nationally recognized for the proactive measures we take to ensure strong matches. Our students benefit from a toolkit developed by Christopher Woleben, M’97, H’01. He’s our Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and his toolkit helps him identify and troubleshoot potential issues our students might encounter. It’s proven to be so valuable that the AAMC published and shared the toolkit with its members nationwide. Since then, other institutions have looked to Dr. Woleben for guidance on dealing with potential Match problems.
When the clock strikes noon on Friday, March 20, envelopes will be handed out from coast to coast at our nation’s medical schools. I wish our students well as they finalize their rank order lists and prepare for that momentous day.
Jerome F. Strauss, III, M.D., Ph.D.
Dean, VCU School of Medicine
Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, VCU Health System