Fourth-year medical students learn their fates on national match day

By Erin Lucero
Office of Development, School of Medicine

Richmond, Va. – When the clock strikes noon on Thursday, March 21, fourth-year students from Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Medicine will learn where they will spend the next several years.

The 167 medical students will gather at the Woman's Club of Richmond, 211 E. Franklin St., to participate in the tradition of National Match Day. At noon, they and thousands of other fourth-year students from medical schools across the United States will receive sealed envelopes that contain the name of the residency program to which they have been matched.

The National Resident Matching Program was established in 1952. It matches graduating medical students with hospitals for internships and residencies. Each year approximately 16,000 U.S. medical school seniors and 15,000 graduates of osteopathic, Canadian or foreign medical schools compete for approximately 23,000 residency positions.

In December and January, the students interview at sites around the country. By the end of February, they have ranked their choices in order of preference, and the hospitals have done the same with their top candidates. The submissions are matched by computer in Washington, D.C., and the results are delivered to students around the country on March 21.

At VCU's School of Medicine, most students are matched to one of their top three choices of residency sites.