MD Program Class of 2021 Celebrates Residency Matches
March 24, 2021
By Lisa Ryan
At noon on Friday, March 19, fourth-year MD program students learned where they will complete their residency training. Students celebrated their good news with champagne toasts and showers of confetti.
The majority of the College of Medicine’s Class of 2021 will train as physicians in Pennsylvania. The next most popular states for Class of 2021 residency matches are:
- New York, with 41 students
- California, with 19 students
The specialties that the Class of 2021 are pursuing the most are:
- Internal medicine, with 57 students matching
- Emergency medicine, with 27 students matching
- Family medicine, with 26 students matching
The 2021 Match Day ceremony was broadcast live to allow fourth-year MD students to gather virtually and share the special day with loved ones and supporters near and far. The event is archived online, as well.
View Match Day 2021 Photo Gallery
During the ceremony, Donna Russo, PhD, the interim vice dean for educational affairs, professor, senior associate dean for curriculum, and William Maul Measey Chair in Medical Education, addressed students.
“Amidst all of the challenges you’ve faced, you’ve remained active and engaged, and I think that says a lot about your character and your adaptability,” Russo said. “I know this is going to serve you well both in your futures as physicians, and in your futures as human beings. Congratulations on your matches.”
Fourth-year MD student Dominique Jones and family
Fourth-year MD student Dominique Jones will complete a portion of her residency in Philadelphia and a portion in Wilmington, Delaware, in the Jefferson Medical College/duPont Hospital for Children Pediatric Residency program. Jones, who grew up in Philadelphia, is grateful to have matched into a program close to home. Read Dominique's Match Day story.
“One of the top things I’m looking forward to is being able to stay close to my family,” Jones said. “My partner also grew up in Philly and staying close to our support systems is something we cherish.”
On Match Day, her family joined her for a home-cooked brunch as they awaited her match result.
“It was such a great experience being able to open the National Resident Match Program email surrounded by loved ones in an intimate setting,” she said. “I could barely get a word out as everyone cheered and cried around me. This wasn’t just a special moment for me, but for all of us.”
Fourth-year MD students Matt Onimus and Jillian Heckman
Fourth-year MD students Matt Onimus and Jillian Heckman celebrated a successful couples match, both at Johns Hopkins – he’ll be a radiology resident, and she’ll be a pediatrics resident – in a unique way.
“At 11:52 a.m. I was already crying because I was just so nervous and excited,” Heckman said. “As I got my email and saw I was headed to Hopkins, I looked over at Matt and he was already down on one knee to propose. After four years of supporting each other through the challenges and joy of medicine, all of our dreams were coming true at that very moment.”
“We saw Johns Hopkins as the perfect fit for us to both grow professionally and personally,” Onimus added. “We are both most excited to work with the incredible individuals we met with on our interview days and look forward to them mentoring us and shaping our future career paths.”
Fourth-year MD program students Chris Bastos and Kristy Lagana
They were not the only College of Medicine Class of 2021 couple to get good news last week: fourth-year MD program students Chris Bastos and Kristy Lagana were happy to learn they will be staying in Philadelphia. Read Chris Bastos and Kristy Lagana's Match Day story.
Both will specialize in internal medicine – Bastos at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Lagana at Thomas Jefferson University.
“I’m looking forward to providing high-quality, compassionate care to patients in Philadelphia,” Bastos said. “I feel lucky and excited to be a part of an internal medicine team.”
“I want to thank the Drexel students, faculty and staff who worked tirelessly to provide a special Match Day experience for all of us celebrating virtually,” Lagana said. “It really takes a village to get one person through medical school, so I want to thank everyone who was there for me along the way.”