Match Day: UNMC medical students find their paths

Medical students from UNMC will learn their residency assignments on Match Day, joining their counterparts at schools nationwide to learn for the first time where they will be studying their chosen specialties following graduation.

UNMC’s event will be held on Friday in a new venue, the Omaha Design Center at 1502 Cuming St. Doors open at 10 a.m. – students will learn their matches at 11 a.m.

Danielle Tibbels of Omaha is one of the students who will be matching. The fourth generation of her family to graduate from UNMC, she hopes to match in internal medicine.

“There have been weeks that felt like years, and there have been months that have passed in the blink of an eye,” Tibbels said of her medical school journey. “Going through medical school is kind of like scaling a mountain, I would say, except that mountain is made of a ton of little hills, and sometimes all you have to do is just focus on the little hill and ignore the giant mountain that you’re climbing. So that’s all your block exams, your lab practicals, your USMLE exams, that’s all of your clinical rotations and shelves and applying to places and interviewing – all of these little things that you’re doing basically build up to this, to what we’re about to find out on Friday.”

Grace Kelly of Omaha, who is diagnosed with dyslexia, said her struggles with the learning disability have made her passionate about the educational side of medicine. During her medical school career, she has mentored and counseled other med students with learning challenges, as well.

“Originally, I wanted to be some sort of teacher,” she said. “I didn’t realize until my senior year of undergrad, which is when I switched to medicine, that to be a physician, you have to be an educator. … That’s what prompted me to switch gears, not switch gears from education but find a passion for education in health care.”

Bradley Britigan, MD, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, said many of this week’s matching medical students have overcome personal challenges, and for the faculty and leadership of the college, Match Day is a treasured way to celebrate their accomplishments.

“Our students will carry the memories of this pivotal day in every physician’s journey with them for the rest of their lives,” Dr. Britigan said. “The faculty and staff of the college are always thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of their celebration and recognize what they have accomplished.”

For Kelly, the future is bright – although heading into the event, she admitted she was nervous.

“Just like every new chapter of my life, I’m going to think that I can’t do it at the beginning. At the beginning of med school, I didn’t think I’d be sitting in this chair today.

“I’ll be able to get through it,” she said. “And wherever I go, I’ll talk about having dyslexia, and I’ll advocate for my needs and advocate for the needs of others around me. So, I will definitely be crying this Friday, regardless of what my paper says.”