CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Friday marked Match Day for Michigan State University medical students as they found out what comes next in their career journeys.
"I just want it to be here. I just, like, can't wait. We'll see what happens," med student Anna Lunderberg told FOX 17.
"The past undergrad years, medical school years — and this is what it all comes down to," med student Vincent Thieu added.
Match Day is when future healthcare professionals find out where they will complete their residency.
"If you think about it, right, so we've been working for this our whole entire lives. Growing up, figuring out what we enjoy, you know, wanting to be a doctor, going to undergrad, working for years, taking gap years, doing medical school, taking multiple board exams," Thieu said.
Lunderberg had two unknowns Friday — not only where she will go, but also, what kind of residency program she'll attend.
"I really liked two different specialties and ended up getting to the point where I could see myself in both very clearly, so I applied into both med peds and psychiatry," she explained.
"There are 68 of you that have successfully matched to the residency of your choice," Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Assistant Dean Dr. Angela Thompson-Busch told the students.
The students started applying for their residencies last September.
"What's interesting about this class is that they actually started during COVID. So, their first year of medical school, with the exception of simulation, was remote. Second year, they were in face masks and face shields. So, it's a, it's a miracle, quite frankly, that they are graduating this year and that they're matching, when you think about it," Dr. Thompson-Busch added.
"I got New York City!" Thieu said as he opened his letter to find his number one pick. "This is everything I wanted. I got very lucky, you know, had a lot of friends along the way to help support me, too. Super duper excited."
Thieu is headed to his residency for physical medicine and rehab.
"I'm just very, very excited and just in disbelief and being like, okay, I have a job. This is great," Lunderberg said, visibly shaking, as she found out she's going to Minneapolis for a psychiatry residency.
These Michigan State University College of Human Medicine students will graduate in May and start their residencies in July.
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