College of Medicine – Tucson

On Friday, March 15, 97 medical students at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson learned where they will first practice as doctors and complete the next phase of their medical training.

Forty percent of the class — or 39 doctors — will remain in Arizona. Of the 39 staying in Arizona, 27 will remain in Tucson to practice and train at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson, serving the community where they first started on the path to becoming medical doctors.

The Class of 2019 applied to residency programs throughout the country. Matches included prestigious institutions such as Johns Hopkins Hospital; Stanford University; Vanderbilt University; the University of California, San Francisco; Northwestern University; the University of Colorado; the University of Washington; the University of Michigan and Dartmouth College.

“It’s always exciting to learn where our students will go to begin practicing medicine,” said Dr. Kevin Moynahan, deputy dean for education at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson. “One of my favorite parts of Match Day is learning which students will be staying here in Tucson with us at one of our UA-Banner residency programs. It’s wonderful to be able to have our medical school graduates stay and complete their training here in our very own health-care system.”

Interim Dean Dr. Irving Kron, was proud to see so many physicians staying in the state to train, as well as so many women – seven – pursuing a surgical specialty, a field where men significantly outnumber women.

“I truly believe that the UA College of Medicine – Tucson is helping address the physician shortage in this state,” Kron said. “I am so excited for our students and their great opportunities. Their hard work and the excellent education they have received has paid off.”

According to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges, 75 percent of Arizona medical school graduates who pursue a residency in Arizona will stay in the state to practice. With 39 UA College of Medicine – Tucson students remaining in Arizona to train, that’s good news for a state critically short of physicians.

The UA College of Medicine – Tucson offers a total of 67 residencies and fellowships through two graduate medical education locations: UA College of Medicine – Tucson Graduate Medical Education and UA College of Medicine – Tucson South Campus Programs. All residencies and fellowships are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, which establishes national standards for approval and assessment of graduate medical education programs. The UA programs provide training in environments unique for their diverse patient populations and exceptional faculty-to-resident ratios, and they are crucial in attracting and training doctors who will remain in Arizona.

The following are some of the highlights of this year’s match results:

Thirty-nine graduates will complete their residencies in Arizona.

• 27 in Tucson (8 primary care)
• 9 in Phoenix
• 3 in Scottsdale (1 primary care)

Twenty-seven students matched with UA College of Medicine – Tucson residency programs.

• 26 will train at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson through the UA College of Medicine – Tucson Graduate Medical Education Program.
• 1 will train at Banner – University Medical Center South through the UA College of Medicine – Tucson South Campus.

Thirty-eight medical students matched into residencies in primary care fields.

• 18 in internal medicine
• 9 in family medicine
• 8 in pediatrics
• 2 in obstetrics and gynecology
• 1 in emergency medicine-pediatrics (a five-year combined emergency medicine and pediatrics residency)

College of Medicine – Phoenix

Sixty-seven University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix fourth-year students celebrated Friday with streamers, confetti, a flash mob and hugs as they found out where they will spend the next three to seven years on their journey as physicians-in-training.

Match Day 2019 capped five months of interviews and travel for the students, who hoped to match with a residency program in their chosen specialty. It was an emotional morning, as friends and family members watched with anticipation as the students opened their envelopes precisely at 9 a.m.

They were among the 18,925 seniors at U.S. allopathic medical schools who entered the match program.

Of the graduating UA College of Medicine – Phoenix students, 50 percent will pursue primary care fields such as family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. Arizona’s physician shortage is one of the worst in the nation, with the state ranking 44th of 50 states in the number of primary care physicians. Twenty-four students will stay in Arizona for their entire residency. Overall, the students will continue their studies at programs in 25 states.

UA College of Medicine – Phoenix Dean Dr. Guy Reed congratulated the students, saying they are on the road to success, “capable of great distinction in clinical medicine, research education and service.”

“We believe in you and know that you will make the world better with your talent and your commitment,” he said.

Eleven students received residency placements at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and Tucson programs at Banner - University Medical Centers in Phoenix and Tucson. Another 11 students matched with local programs at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Dignity St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Phoenix and Creighton University-affiliated hospitals.

In addition to matching locally, students placed into prestigious programs at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in Florida, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut, New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, University of California San Francisco Medical Center, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California and the Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Susan Kaib, associate dean of student affairs, said the Class of 2019 is everything the college’s leaders and faculty hoped for in a class.

“You helped us through LCME accreditation,” she said. “You redefined student government interest groups. You spent 8,456 hours volunteering in the community while going to medical school. You have completed rotations at 30 rural sites and 77 rotations in 59 hospitals. You have traveled far in order to get your education to be here today.”

In February, students submitted their list of choices in order of preference at the same time residency program directors submitted their rank-ordered lists of preferred candidates to the National Residency Matching Program headquarters in Washington, D.C. An algorithm matched each student to the residency program that was highest on the student’s list and that offered a position to the applicant.

Residency programs vary in length from three years for general medicine/family practice specialties to seven years for the most specialized surgeons.

The UA College of Medicine – Phoenix admits 80 students per class and has graduated 433 doctors. Last year, it received more than 5,900 applications. The medical school’s mission is to prepare its students for the first day of residency and ensure that they will be compassionate physician scientists.

A version of this article originally appeared on the College of Medicine – Tucson website (https://opa.uahs.arizona.edu/newsroom/news/2019/future-physicians-celebrate-match-day) and the College of Medicine – Phoenix website (http://phoenixmed.arizona.edu/about/news/matchday-2019).