FAU’s Soon-to-be Doctors ‘Match’ Amid Florida’s Physician Shortfall
At noon, along with other physicians-to-be around the country, the Schmidt College of Medicine's class of 2022 opened their sealed envelopes containing their residency match results.
Florida Atlantic University ’s soon-to-be doctors have matched for their residencies and are one-step closer to becoming board-certified physicians. With a 100 percent residency placement in post-graduate training programs, FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine ’s class of 2022 is helping to address a national need to bolster the physician workforce. In Florida alone, the state is expected to be short nearly 18,000 physicians by 2035. Training and residency programs are imperative to provide care to Florida’s population of nearly 22 million.
Today, the 64 members of the class of 2022 participated in “Match Day,” which occurs nationally on the third Friday of March every year where the results of the National Resident Matching Program (NMRP) are announced. Results of the Main Residency Match are closely watched because they can predict future changes in the physician workforce.
At noon, along with other physicians-to-be around the country, FAU’s class of 2022 opened their sealed envelopes containing their residency match results.
“I am so excited that we are all here together in person today for the first time since 2019 to celebrate one of our most special occasions,” said Julie Pilitsis, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., dean and vice president of medical affairs, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine. “As my first Match Day as dean, I couldn’t be more proud of your achievements and successes and the bright future ahead of you as you embark on a new journey. No matter where your matches take you, please remember that you will forever remain connected to our College of Medicine community. Congratulations, class of 2022.”
The composition of the class of 2022 is 46 percent female and 54 percent male; and 20 percent of the class are underrepresented minorities in medicine.
In line with the medical school’s mission, approximately 30 percent of the class of 2022 will conduct their residency in Florida. Twenty of the 64 members of the class will specialize in primary care including family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. Despite the pandemic, seven of the 64 members of the class of 2022 matched in emergency medicine. The class also matched in other highly specialized fields that are among the most competitive in the match process, including internal medicine/pediatrics, dermatology, orthopedic surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, ophthalmology, and neurological surgery, among others.
“Match Day is one of the most unique and nerve-wracking rites of passage in the journey to becoming a doctor,” said Sarah K. Wood, M.D., senior associate dean for medical education, Schmidt College of Medicine. “The knowledge and skills you have developed as well as your accomplishments during your time at FAU are badges of honor that you will carry with you always. You make us proud and I know that you will continue to be exceptional ambassadors for our very special medical school.”
In addition to matching for their residencies, some members of the class of 2022 had a different type of match – a “couple’s match.” Among them are Alison Kohn, who matched in dermatology at the University of South Florida and Michael Kucharik, who matched in orthopedic surgery also at the University of South Florida.
“Class of 2022, over the last few years you challenged yourself in learning all that you could, you questioned in order to master material, and you pushed beyond your comfort zones to achieve excellence and to maintain continued growth,” said Jennifer Caceres, M.D., senior associate dean for student affairs and admissions. “In the midst of all this, you dealt with multi-faceted uncertainties and even some fears within and beyond our nation. Your leadership qualities demonstrated through the initiatives you have taken to serve our community assures me that you will go out there and make that difference you dreamed of when you first applied to medical school. Go forward in confidence that you are ready.”
Among the various Florida institutions where FAU’s class of 2022 placed are Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education in Jacksonville; University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa; University of Miami/Jackson Health System in Miami; Memorial Healthcare System, Pembroke Pines; University of Florida College of Medicine - Shands Hospital, Gainesville; and FAU.
The class of 2022 also placed in several top institutions nationally, including Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta; Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston; New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in New York; University of Chicago; Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education in Jacksonville; and UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.
In addition, on Match Day, 43 outstanding graduating medical students from diverse backgrounds throughout the nation matched into FAU’s residency programs in internal medicine (24), surgery (six), emergency medicine (six), psychiatry (four) and neurology (three). FAU’s fellowships also welcomed new trainees in cardiovascular disease, geriatric medicine, and hospice and palliative medicine.
“FAU’s categorical residency programs matched for all of our available residency positions within five programs, despite Florida having unmatched positions in these same specialties except for surgery,” said Curtis L. Whitehair, M.D., associate dean for graduate medical education and the designated institutional official, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine. “For emergency medicine alone, which has 67 programs nationally, there were approximately 217 unfilled positions in the United States and Florida had 38 unfilled positions on the first day of match week. Michigan had the most unfilled spots at 46 for emergency medicine, followed by Florida with 38 unfilled positions.”
The NRMP uses a computer algorithm, developed in 1952 by Nobel Prize-winning economist Alvin Roth, to place students in the program that they prefer. Each residency program at a hospital has a fixed number of first-year positions that they can fill each year based on their accreditation. Leading up to the big day, each student lists in order of preference the residency program that he or she seeks to work with and each residency program then ranks its applicants in order of its own preferences.
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