PEORIA, Ill. – Students at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria learned on Friday where the next big step in their journeys to be doctors would take them.
As part of a Match Day ceremony, 58 students learned what their residency programs would be. The programs were revealed in sealed envelopes, opened at the same time by all the students at 11:00 A.M.
The 58 students will take part in 14 different specialities for their residencies in 21 different states. Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Eileen Doherty says the excitement started on Monday when they learned about their acceptance into the programs.
“The majority of our students matched in Illinois, so Chicago and central Illinois are usually popular locations for sure. But we do have some out on the east coast, in Texas, out west in Washington and Nevada as well,” Doherty said.
Some of the programs the students were accepted into included general practice, family medicine, and internal medicine.
Eduardo Orozzo is from Chicago, and learned he will be returning back home for his residency program in family medicine at Northwestern Lake Forest.
He says the program he was matched with was his first choice.
“I was shaking. I wasn’t hopeful for my first choice, but seeing the name come up, it almost brought me to tears,” Orozzo said.
Orozzo will study at Northwestern for the next three years. He says he is hopeful to have a career in outpatient family medicine.
Allison Hansen of Lombard will be traveling out of state for her program, studying family medicine at her top choice in Fort Worth, Texas. She says having family and friends at the ceremony made it more special to her.
“They’ve been such a big support along the way, lots of tests, lots of hours studying, and they’ve been through it all. So it’s nice to be able to kind of share this moment with them too,” Hansen said.
David Qi of Dunlap will be studying ophthalmology, and already knew his residency would be at Mount Sinai in New York City.
“I found out February 6th, so I did all of my crying at home,” Qi said. “But today is a very special day because I get to see all my friends be happy.”
Qi says he did not think he had a chance to match into the program he will study at for the next four years. He says one of the biggest adjustments he would have to make is living big city life in New York City.
Qi says after the residency, he may look into a career in retina or ocular plastics.
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