WICHITA, KANSAS – Since last fall, fourth-year medical students at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita have been applying and interviewing for residency programs across Kansas and throughout the United States, ranking their choices. Likewise, residency programs have ranked the students they most want to invite into their program. The National Resident Matching Program, a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1952, provides the methodology for pairing the students and their residencies.

This process for fourth-year students culminated nationwide on Match Day, Friday, March 21. In downtown Wichita, at Distillery 244, they announced into which residency program they matched and where they will live for the next phase of their training after graduation in May. Guests who couldn’t attend could watch virtually.

“This is the big day you’ve been waiting for since you started medical school,” said Garold Minns, M.D., dean of KU School of Medicine-Medicine. “We are all very happy for you for a couple of reasons. One is to see how you succeeded. Another is that you will all have salaries starting in June!” The end of that statement brought cheers and whistles from the crowd.

Of the 62 students at KU School of Medicine-Wichita who matched, 19 will stay in Kansas. The remaining 43 students will travel to 17 other states plus the District of Columbia to continue their medical education.

Of this year’s graduates, 36 will go into a primary care field (family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and med-pediatrics), four each to general surgery and neurology, two each to emergency medicine, orthopaedic surgery and otolaryngology; and one each in anesthesiology, dermatology, diagnostic radiology, medicine-preliminary, neurological surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, pathology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychiatry, and urology residency programs.

There were four couples matches of KU School of Medicine-Wichita medical students with partners from Wichita, Kansas City and other medical schools.

Minns thanked Ally Turner, assistant director of Academic & Student Affairs; Laura Tatpati, M.D., associate dean for undergraduate medical education and professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology; and Samuel Ofei-Dodoo, Ph.D., MPA, M.A., CPH, GCPH, CNPM, assistant dean for undergraduate medical education, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and adjunct associate professor in the Department of Population Health; for their support, counseling and dedication to the students during their academic careers and while preparing them in their residency selection process.

Manuel D. Garcia

When Manuel D. Garcia announced that he was going to further his studies in family medicine at Wesley Medical Center, he shared that his grandfather, Clean Dean Elkins, had worked there, but Elkins died before Garcia’s third year of medical school started.

“My grandfather was a security guard at Wesley Medical Center for a number of years, Garcia explained later. “After he retired, he also volunteered with guest services there. Because of him, I was introduced to medicine.

“I grew up without a father and he immediately stepped in and took that role for me. Every one of the values that make me who I am have come directly from him. We both share the same middle name, Dean, and I make sure that anything that has my name on it has my middle initial to represent him watching over me.”

Jada Rosa

Jada Rosa was happy to announce that she was “continuing in the family tradition of matching in family medicine at Via Christi.” Both of her parents and her older sister are family medicine physicians in Kansas and another older sister is currently a second-year resident at Ascension Via Christi.

“I count it as a privilege to follow in their footsteps,” Rosa said, “though I do plan on a different career path compared to my family. My parents, however, were my first introduction to the servant leadership at the heart of family medicine, and I hope to live up to their example.”

Katie Hrencher, Rosa’s sister who is the second-year resident at Ascension Via Christi, said that “my fellow residents and I are so excited that Jada matched here. I tried to remain neutral during the interview season and wanted Jada to end up at the program that was the best fit for her, but I'm thrilled that ended up being Via Christi. I look forward to being co-residents in a few short months.”

When Rosa was asked about what made Via Christi so special, she said, “What I love about Via Christi is its commitment to forming humans as well as physicians — I know that I will be a better person when walking out of St. Francis for the last time in three years. I've seen this transformation personally with my sister over the past two years — her confidence, her humility and her work ethic are all reinforced by the culture of caring at Via Christi. I've already befriended most of the residents at Via Christi and can confidently say they are people I'd like to surround myself with for the rest of my life, no matter where medicine leads me.”

After all matches were announced, Minns said, “You made great decisions in choosing your residency locations – they are very competitive. It just goes to show everyone that you can go anywhere in the country that you want to go. We are very proud of you and know you will do great things in the future. Wherever you go, we invite you to come back anytime and visit us.”

To the amusement of the audience, Minns concluded with, “See you all in May – isn’t there something going on then?”

Above, left: KU School of Medicine-Wichita students, (l-r) Jada Rosa, Rachel Glein and Emily Bette, excitedly show off their residency locations.

Match Day photo album

View the Flickr photo album to see more photos from the Match Day ceremony in downtown Wichita.