Beneath brightly colored balloons, 140 UNMC medical students took turns stepping up to the podium to announce where they would be spending their residencies.
Applause and cheers greeted each student, as the UNMC College of Medicine came together Friday, March 15, to celebrate this latest chapter in the students’ medical journey.
“It’s a wonderful day outside and a wonderful day inside,” said Brad Britigan, MD, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine.
Shaker Dukkipati completed his PhD two years ago at UNMC as part of the MD-PhD program, and Friday learned he had matched in child neurology at Columbia University.
“I came to UNMC thinking I’d be interested in child neurology, and it’s worked out,” he said. “I’m excited for Columbia, and I’m interested in doing some postdoctoral research there. They have one of the biggest and oldest cerebral palsy centers in the country, and I’m excited to be doing my residency there and doing research there, as well.”
Dr. Britigan said Match Day always is an exciting event, and faculty look forward to seeing where the medical students they have worked with are headed.
“We are thrilled to have students who are going to be staying here with us to continue their journey,” he said. “At the same time, we wish those who are leaving us well. And we certainly hope a number of them eventually return to Nebraska.”
Medical student Shaker Dukkipati, PhD, with his father, Sairam, and his mother, Padmaja.
The 2024 Main Residency Match® – referred to as Match Day – is an annual rite of passage for medical students, a day when students across the country learn where they will train for the next three to seven years, depending on the medical area of their choice. Students are matched through a computer program to align their preferences for residency programs to fill the thousands of training positions available at U.S. teaching hospitals.
Within UNMC’s Class of 2024, 41% are staying in Nebraska for their training, with 56 students at UNMC. A total of 61% matched in primary care, which includes family medicine, internal medicine, internal medicine/geriatrics, internal medicine/pediatrics, pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology.
Nationally, there were 41,503 residency positions.
See the Match Day results for the UNMC College of Medicine Graduating Class of 2024.
Congratulations to all!