There was no kryptonite in sight.
There were Super Men and Wonder Women. Incredible families, a Bat Baby and a Harry Potter. And even a student who dressed up like Janet Mundie, the medical school staffer who's seen an estimated 6,000 students through 37 Match Days.
The Class of 2014 chose a superhero costume theme for Match Day, the rite of passage for fourth-year medical students. At noon on March 21, they — along with their peers from around the country — learned where they're headed for residency training in their chosen specialties.
At the conclusion of the Match process, 98 percent of our 186 participating students had matched into a residency position. Only five students remained unmatched, including some who will continue to seek residency positions outside the Match. Others have decided to pursue research or a second degree, like a master's in public health, before seeking a residency position in a future Match.
- 58 students matched into primary care fields including Internal Medicine (31), Pediatrics (14) and Family Medicine (13).
- 6 students matched into combined residency programs including Internal Medicine/Pediatrics (3), Internal Medicine/Family Medicine (1), Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine (1), and Pediatrics/Psychiatry/Child Psychiatry (1).
- The medical students had very good success matching into other specialties including Anesthesiology (21), Obstetrics and Gynecology (15), Emergency Medicine (14), General Surgery (10), Diagnostic Radiology (8), Orthopedic Surgery (8), Neurology (5), Psychiatry (5), Dermatology (3), Pathology (3), Otolaryngology (3), Plastic Surgery (2), Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (2), Vascular Surgery (1) and Radiation Oncology (1).
- 7 students matched into Urology and 6 into Ophthalmology, which are both programs that offer an early match process.
- 3 students matched into military programs.
Chris Woleben, M.D., associate dean for student affairs, noted that medical schools across the country found more competitive students unmatched this year than in previous years. "The increasingly competitive residency match process will drive us to enhance our career guidance programs," said Woleben. "The implementation of new curriculum, with its increased opportunities for electives and earlier entry into the core clerkships will also bring distinct advantages our students."
Match Day at the VCU Health System
The VCU Health System's residency programs enroll 700 physicians-in-training, with about 225 new residents entering each year.
"We were most fortunate to receive an unprecedented number of applicants with stellar portfolios," said Mary Alice O'Donnell , Ph.D., associate dean for graduate medical education. "The caliber of the applicants confirms the fact that VCUHS is known for its strong education, clinical and research experience during training."
Residents begin their training in July after graduating from their M.D. programs. More than 30 VCU School of Medicine students have matched into the VCU Health Systems' residency programs. In addition, the new cadre of residents includes students from: Baylor, Boston University, Brown, Case, Cornell, Michigan, SUNY, Thomas Jefferson, Tulane, University of North Carolina, University of Pennsylvania, University of Rochester, University of Washington and Wake Forrest among others.
"We look forward to their arrival in July for the next stage of their medical education," O'Donnell said.
Learn more about Match Day 2014
- It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a match!: VCU medical students learn where they are matched for residency
- Review the 2014 match list
- 2014 Match Map (courtesy of VCU School of Medicine’s Office of Graduate Medical Education)
Match Day 2014
Super men and Wonder Women abounded at Match Day. The Class of 2014 chose a superhero costume theme for the rite of passage when fourth-year medical students learn where they're headed for residency training in their chosen specialties.
