After 3 1/2 years of medical training, 3 board exams, and months of interviews, it’s finally over! I have to say, they didn’t make the process any less stressful. We first got an email on Monday of match week telling us whether we matched or not. So the anticipation (read: stress) leading up to that Monday was enormous. I received that email on Monday and found out that I had successfully matched, but I had no idea where. I had to wait 4 more days to finally find out where I would be for the next three years.
When I was on the interview trail, I met some applicants who told me that their medical schools have students walk up on stage and announce where they matched. Thankfully, my institution doesn’t make us do that. Can you imagine if you didn’t match where you wanted to and you had to announce it on stage?
Fast forward four days to Match day. Temple had the lobby set up with breakfast for families. While they were out in the lobby, the MS4s attended a class meeting. The meeting ended around 11:45, and we emptied the auditorium to received our individual envelopes. Those were the LONGEST 15 minutes I have ever experienced.
We received time marker announcements: 10 minutes! 5 minutes! 3 minutes! 1 minute! And soon enough we were down to 10 seconds. The countdown began, and the hundreds of people clustered in the lobby chimed in.
5! 4! 3! 2! 1! And finally, it was time. I ripped open that fateful envelope and finally learned where I matched for internal medicine: Brown University!
