Match Day at The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix is probably the single most unique and “built-up” days of medical school. Graduation was exciting, but we had all graduated before. The white coat ceremony, while unique and special, was so early in medical school that we had no opportunity to develop any expectations of the day. Match Day, however, was different. We all had seen at least 3 previous Match Days and felt the buzz that took over campus as the canyon was decorated. We had seen the confetti, flash mobs, proposal(s), and celebrations over the years. During fourth year, as Match Week approached, time ground to a halt. I revisited the NRMP Match data over and over again to repeatedly calculate my chances of matching. The Monday of Match Week, I waited in the St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center parking lot for the email, “Did I Match?” As I opened that email I went from panic to elation in an instant. At 10:55 AM, I read the words “Congratulations, You have matched!” I walked into one of my last rotations of medical school as a freshly matched 4th year, without a worry in the world.
Match Day itself was an incredible experience with all my classmates and their loved ones crammed into the canyon. When I discovered I had matched in New York City, I initially had a mixed reaction. It was the most historic/reputed program I had interviewed at, but it was also the farthest from home, and so it was not my top choice. As the day progressed, it quickly became apparent that I had matched into the best program for me. I got phone calls from the chairman, program director, and nearly every single one of the residents congratulating me and welcoming me into the Mount Sinai family. Ultimately, I felt confident that the Match process had worked for me, and I was going to a program where I fit in the best.
A lot has happened since Match Day, from graduation to moving across the country to starting residency. For me, Match Day began the transition from hometown student to newly minted doctor in the incredible city of New York! Match Day had a huge impact on my family and me and marked the start of a new chapter. One year removed from Match Day, I can say this chapter is certainly off to a great start.
Everyone’s Match Day is unique and the day itself is quite the rollercoaster, but I’d like to think that the vast majority of those who match do look back positively on that momentous Friday in March.
To the class of 2017, all the best on Match Day! And may the algorithms be with you!
Ameya Jategaonkar graduated from The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix in 2016. He is currently a resident in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York City. In his spare time, he enjoys photography, playing the guitar, and exploring the many culinary highlights of New York, especially the pizza and the bagels.