March 17, 2023 | 11:40 a.m.
Location
Health Education Campus
9501 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106
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One of the most important days for medical students is Match Day, signifying where they will "match" for a residency program following graduation in May. Fourth-year medical students and their supporters, including families and loved ones from across the country, will gather at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic to learn where they will place for their residencies.
Match Day is arguably one of the most important days in a medical student's journey. It marks the end of school and the beginning of full-time clinical training. On March 17, at noon EDT, fourth-year medical students nationwide will learn where they’ve been matched for residency. A few Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine students shared their stories ahead of the big day.
Madeline Beckman
What specialty are you hoping to match?
Ophthalmology
What drew you to this specialty?
With some open elective time, I decided to sign up for a two-week Introduction to Ophthalmology course since I had such little exposure to the field thus far. I immediately knew it was my best fit. I loved the technical aspects of the job, the patient population I would serve and I felt like I fit in with my (future) colleagues.
How will you celebrate match day?
Since I already matched back in February, March Match Day is really to celebrate my friends who have had to patiently wait another six weeks than I had to! Back in February, I went out for a sushi dinner with friends before catching Hadestown at Playhouse Square.
How do you feel Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has prepared you for this next step?
I am so grateful for all that CWRU has done to set me up for success professionally, clinically and personally for residency. One of the university’s strongest advantages is the multi-institutional training model. I rotated through all four hospitals to maximize my exposure to various patient populations and learn different ways to deliver healthcare within a system.
Amber Estes
What specialty are you hoping to match?
Internal Medicine-Pediatrics
What drew you to this specialty?
There are many reasons I chose Med-Peds. I love the ability to care for patients of all ages and I was especially drawn to caring for children with chronic conditions into adulthood. I also love how through Med-Peds you can apply things you learn from one side to the other and how there is a wide range of career opportunities.
How will you celebrate match day?
I will celebrate with my family.
How do you feel Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has prepared you for this next step?
I have had many great mentors/teachers who have helped me throughout medical school and in preparing me for residency.
Ashley Estes
What specialty are you hoping to match?
Internal medicine
What drew you to this specialty?
I love the wide variety of career paths I can take in internal medicine that aligns with my goals for caring for patients, taking part in education, community engagement and patient advocacy. I like the diversity of patient presentations and enjoy devising a broad differential that connects a lived human experience with the pathophysiology of disease.
How will you celebrate match day?
Celebrate with my family and friends!
How do you feel Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has prepared you for this next step?
I feel that I had great learning opportunities throughout the years that have given me the knowledge and confidence needed to move onto the next part of my journey.
Benjamin Gaal
What specialty are you hoping to match?
Orthopedic Surgery
What drew you to this specialty?
The team-based culture of the people in orthopedic surgery, the motivated patient population and the hands-on procedures that have the ability to significantly improve a patient's quality of life.
How will you celebrate Match Day?
I’ll spend the ceremony and lunch with family and then celebrate Match and St. Patrick’s Day with friends.
How do you feel Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has prepared you for this next step?
The university has taught me how to find my role within a team and balance both the art and science of medicine to prioritize patient goals.
Nichola Bomani Gonzalez
What specialty are you hoping to match?
Obstetrics and Gynecology
What drew you to this specialty?
Reproductive health informs every aspect of one's life: relationships, family planning, work and school and even mental health. The OB-GYN has a unique role as counselor and confidant, privy to the most intimate details of a person’s life and relationships. I feel comfortable in these roles and am able to understand, empathize and form bonds with patients from a variety of backgrounds. There is a strong need for reproductive health advocates in the Black, Muslim, and Caribbean communities of which I come from.
How will you celebrate match day?
After some happy tears, some good food with my husband (just married on Feb. 18), parents, and siblings who will be present.
How do you feel Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has prepared you for this next step?
I feel prepared to begin my residency training with the awareness of how to practice in any resource setting, and how to seek opportunities to deepen my education.
Abby Meyers
What specialty are you hoping to match?
Plastic Surgery
What drew you to this specialty?
Personality fit, variety, creativity, mentors, exciting research, innovation.
How will you celebrate Match Day?
With friends and family, hopefully crying happy tears!
How do you feel Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has prepared you for this next step?
Great access to research mentors and personal, accessible advising.
Jasmine Robinson
What specialty are you hoping to match?
Obstetrics and Gynecology
What drew you to this specialty?
I always wanted to train as a surgeon in addition to becoming a physician. Obstetrics and Gynecology offers the best of both worlds, and delivering a baby is an experience like no other! I enjoy caring for patients through the highs and lows of life, especially during vulnerable and critical times. As a Black woman, I care deeply about improving maternal health disparities and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. Ultimately, I feel like OB-GYN chose me.
How will you celebrate match day?
I'm excited that one of my best friends is coming to Cleveland to celebrate with me in person! I hope to share the good news virtually with friends and family who are out of town. I will definitely be making several phone and video calls after the ceremony to update and thank the amazing people who have invested in my success over the years.
How do you feel Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has prepared you for this next step?
Thanks to the flexible curriculum, I could easily pursue my unique passions in women's health, community service, gender-affirming care, social activism and global health - including traveling abroad to Peru and Zimbabwe for research projects. I participated in legislative advocacy at the state capitol in Ohio and on Capitol Hill in Washington. I am prepared to be a compassionate physician who thinks critically about health equity and works efficiently on interdisciplinary teams. Most importantly, I feel empowered to advocate for my patients and tackle complex problems with systems-level changes.
Adrienne Simmons
What specialty are you hoping to match?
Obstetrics and Gynecology
What drew you to this specialty?
Women's health had always been in the back of my mind, but my rotations and community experiences opened my eyes to the role of advocacy and empowerment that OB-GYN's get to take part in every day and I really wanted to be a part of that.
How will you celebrate Match Day?
I'll be at the match day ceremony with friends and on the phone with family.
How do you feel Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has prepared you for this next step?
The first two years gave me a strong background for clinical reasoning on the wards. We also got a lot of autonomy during years three and four, which pushed me to start thinking about the next steps of treatment and social determinants early on.
Garrett Weskamp
What specialty are you hoping to match?
Internal Medicine
What drew you to this specialty?
I'm really interested in a potential career in Gastroenterology, and I also love working up patients' many undiagnosed problems during their hospital admissions.
How will you celebrate Match Day?
Mimosas with friends!
How do you feel Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has prepared you for this next step?
The university has built an incredible program to teach medicine in a very innovative way. On top of that, the connections and clinical training that are afforded to students allow you to specialize in any field of medicine that you could imagine with support and mentors every step of the way.
Noah Wickerham
What specialty are you hoping to match?
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
What drew you to this specialty?
Interesting neuromuscular pathologies combined with the ability to form longitudinal relationships with patients.
How will you celebrate Match Day?
Spending time with my family, fiancé, and classmates in Cleveland. Eating as much good food as possible.
How do you feel Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has prepared you for this next step?
I feel the university has best prepared me for the next step by surrounding me with so many diverse kind and interesting people in both the preclinical and clinical setting. Nearly everyone I met was excited to learn about medicine and the world around them which I found to be infectious.