James and John Clements are going their separate ways after 25 years.
On March 16, the Clements, who are identical twins from Fremont, Neb., and 117 of their classmates at the University of Nebraska Medical Center participated in the National Resident Matching Program, which reveals where graduating medical students will be spending the next three to five years of their life learning and doing their residency training.
UNMC students were among 15,000 upcoming graduates of U.S. medical schools to participate in “Match Day.” Overall, the 119 senior medical students at UNMC received their residency assignments in 28 states and 25 different specialties. Of those 50 students, or 40 percent, are staying in Nebraska for their training programs.
For the Clements brothers, Match Day marked the end of a 25-year journey. “There are mixed emotions having to part ways,” James Clements said. “But, we’ve had 25 years in close proximity and we’re thankful for the chance to do that.”
The two graduated cum laude with high distinction from Fremont High School. Both went to Evangel University in Springfield, Mo., and were roommates all four years. Both graduated college summa cum laude with degrees in biology. Both were accepted at UNMC via the Early Decision Program. On March 9, both were inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha, National Medical Honor Society.
John Clements, who will do his internal medicine preliminary training at UNMC and his ophthalmology residency at Loyola University/VA Hospital, Chicago, said: “I knew on Jan. 19 that I had obtained my residency in ophthalmology. I didn’t know where. I interviewed with 11 medical centers and universities. It’s fairly typical to visit eight to 10. The whole process is pretty tough. They want good grades, high test scores and you have to do well on the interviews.
“The residency programs rank all the students that they liked, and the students rank the programs they hope to attain. Some people compare Match Day to the NFL draft, and others compare it to a really tense round of computer dating. I am happy about Loyola because it has such outstanding international medical opportunities. James and I both want to eventually link back up after our residencies. It’s a dream of ours to get a jet and convert it into operating suites and fly around the world to provide medical care.”
James Clements, who will do an internal medicine-pediatrics residency at the University of Utah Affiliated Hospitals, Salt Lake City, Utah, said: “I guess my Match Day was a little tenser. I only interviewed for two residency programs. So you might say my choices were 50-50. I really wanted the Salt Lake City program because I love the outdoors and look forward to having some great time off when not working. My brother and I both love mountain biking, and Utah has some of the best bike trails in the world. In fact, mountain biking together is probably one of the first things we’ll miss the most, as far as all the stuff we’ve done together.
“My brother and I have been together since birth, but we’d already begun a gradual separation. John was married in June 2002 and has a child now. Of course, we’ll always be constantly in touch on the phone and e-mail and get together as often as possible. But now is our time to part and get on to the next phase of our lives.”
In addition to the Clements, here are some other highlights involving UNMC students going through Match Day.
Nick Behrendt of Omaha will do his obstetrics and gynecology residency at Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. “Today has been a thrill ride,” said Behrendt, who served as class president.
His mother, Jeanette, a nurse researcher for the Center for Human Nutrition on the UNMC campus, agreed. “I burst into tears at least four times during the ceremony,” she said. “I cried the most when Nick announced Ohio State University. He wanted it so bad and has worked so hard. I was so proud. I hate to have to let him go, but this was a thrilling day for me.”
Behrendt said serving as class president was rewarding. “Some people might think that the last thing a first-year med student needs is to run for a class office, but I feel just the opposite,” he said. “I have always felt that I did better in school when I have a more balanced life. I can’t just study, study, study. Faculty and administrators know that the priority is to successfully complete medical school, but holding office added a unique component to the experience. I met with many more faculty and executives during my education here, and I’m proud to say that Chancellor Maurer knows me by name. It’s been a great run.”
Jason and Kate Hesser grew up in rural Nebraska — he in Hickman and she in Fairbury — and will return to their rural roots this summer to do family medicine residencies in Grand Island. As seniors at their respective high schools, they learned about the UNMC-sponsored Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP), a program that recruits and trains future physicians who are interested in practicing medicine in rural Nebraska. The RHOP program led them both to Chadron State College where they met the first week of their freshman year. They were married the summer before starting medical school.
Kelli Peterson of Elkhorn, Neb. was relieved to learn she had landed an anesthesia residency in Omaha at Creighton University affiliated hospitals and UNMC. “I’ve had this reoccurring nightmare that this says OB,” she said prior to revealing her match.
Hilary Ormseth of Moorcroft, Wyo., landed an emergency medicine residency at UNMC and Jamie Warren of Omaha will do a pediatric residency at Oregon Health & Science University. Both women spent the summer before their senior year providing medical services for a geology team doing research on K-2 in the Himalaya Mountains. The two worked with Nebraska’s Keith Brown, M.D., an internationally acclaimed specialist in wilderness medicine. The base camp where Warren and Ormseth worked was “only” at the 16,000 feet level and actually only required an extensive hike, not actual climbing. They took care of team members, Pakistani porters and other climbers, and conducted several clinics in local villages.
Sarah Olsasky of Des Moines, Iowa, will begin her dermatology residency in Denver, Colo., before going to the University of South Florida in Tampa. While earning her undergraduate degree in finance at Creighton University, Olsasky completed all her pre-med requirements. She was accepted to medical school at UNMC but put it off to explore a career in finance. She was a business consultant for Arthur Andersen LLP, implementing human resource and payroll software packages for large businesses and traveling a lot. After the company became involved in the Enron scandal, Olsasky decided to change careers and do something more fulfilling – become a physician.
Mac McLaughlin of Sutton, Neb., will study neurology at Brown University in Providence, R.I., a $6 train ride from his girlfriend Heather Gomes of Grand Island, who will do her otolaryngology residency at New England Medical Center in Boston, Mass.
Matt Loutzenhiser of O’Neill, Neb., put on a South Carolina baseball cap upon learning he’d be doing his family medicine residency in Spartanburg, S.C.
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through its commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC has established itself as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology, ophthalmology and arthritis. UNMC’s research funding from external sources is now more than $72 million annually and has resulted in the creation of nearly 2,400 highly skilled jobs in the state.