Written by: Brit Blalock
Media contact: Bob Shepard, bshep@uab.edu
The 2018 graduating class of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine celebrated another successful Match Day on Friday, March 16. With 98 percent of students’ matching into residency positions, UAB students will continue their medical educations at 74 institutions in 27 states across the country.
“Match Day symbolizes all the hard work put in at medical school coming to fruition,” said Amber Abrams, who matched into psychiatry at UAB. “This has been a long journey, and it’s so nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Medical students across the United States celebrated Match Day at 12 p.m. EDT on March 16. Most of the country’s 155 medical schools hold a celebratory event of some kind, and UAB is among them. Students waited in UAB’s Alys Stephens Center until the envelope containing their residency matches was drawn, and then they announced their matches on stage with loved ones by their sides.
Brandon Sherrod matched into neurological surgery at the University of Utah. He shared in his peers’ excitement for the next step in their careers.
“I’m ready to learn a lot more,” Sherrod said. “I’m ready to start a new adventure and move somewhere new. It’s a seven-year program, which is a long time; but I can’t wait to learn as much as I can in order to help as many people as I can.”
Several spouses and couples also eagerly awaited their match results Friday. Couple Stephanie Bevans and Chris Ives were thrilled they both matched into residencies at UAB.
| “Match Day symbolizes all the hard work put in at medical school coming to fruition.” |
“UAB is an incredible institution,” Ives said. “In the four years we’ve been here, we’ve just fallen in love with it. We’re very happy to be staying here.”
The largest number of students — 73 — matched into primary care residency programs, which include family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. Students also matched into other medical specialties—including 37 in various surgical residencies, 13 in emergency medicine, 12 in obstetrics and gynecology, and eight in neurology.
UAB is also celebrating a successful recruitment for residents in its 35 residency programs. A total of 214 new residents, representing 60 U.S. and 27 international universities, will begin this summer in programs at Birmingham, Huntsville, Selma and Montgomery.