Graduating Feinberg Medical Students Earn Residency Placements at Match Day 2011

Graduating Feinberg Medical Students Earn Residency Placements at Match Day 2011

Juan Bautista and his wife Nicole were thrilled to learn that he matched at their hometown teaching hospital, University of California, San Francisco-Fresno.

Graduating Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine students gathered with their family, friends, and faculty mentors at Gino’s East of Chicago on March 17 to discover where they will complete their residency training. Match Day proved successful for all 170 members of the Class of 2011, each of whom earned a residency placement.

The event was bittersweet for fourth-year student Juan Bautista, who discovered that he will return with his wife, Nicole, and their two young sons, Juan and Titus, to the couple’s hometown of Fresno, Calif. Bautista, who matched in his first-choice obstetrics and gynecology residency at the University of California, San Francisco-Fresno, stressed the importance of giving back to his community and living close to family. Still, he says he will be sad to leave the medical school and plans to remain active in the Feinberg family by assisting the Office of Diversity with medical student recruitment.

Classmates Sarah Clark and Tim Wang rejoiced as they discovered they both matched in residency programs at Stanford University.

“Today I am experiencing one of those life changing moments — like the day I was given my lab coat or the first time I cared for a patient,” Bautista said. “I look forward to continuing my relationship with my friends here at Northwestern. And, who knows, maybe one day I’ll be back.”

While not returning to his hometown, Australia native and class president Darren Boyd, MBA, was equally as excited to stay in Chicago to complete his residency training in internal medicine. Boyd, along with 31 classmates, matched at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University.

“Northwestern has such a great internal medicine program, so I am confident that I will be very well trained,” Boyd said. “Also, I know many of the physicians here. I know the system. I can’t wait to jump in and finally practice the many skills I have learned.”

After seven years at Feinberg as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Tracy Gertler, PhD ’10, of Long Island, N.Y., says she’s ready for the next step in her career. Like Boyd, Gertler is thrilled to remain in Chicago to complete her five-year residency training in pediatrics and pediatric neurology, both at Children’s Memorial Hospital.

A couple’s match proved successful for medical school sweethearts Jill Larson and Darren van Beek, who matched at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University and The University of Chicago, respectively.

Honors Program in Medical Education (HPME) student Tim Wang, BA ’07 — also a seven-year Northwestern veteran — learned he will leave his hometown of Chicago for the first time next year. Wang earned his desired match in the orthopaedic surgery program at Stanford University.

“My mind is absolutely blown right now,” he said. “I cannot wait for the journey ahead — the opportunity to grow as a person and as a physician.”

While Wang plans for the next phase of his career out West, medical school sweethearts Jill Larson and Darren van Beek were relieved to discover that they would train together in their favorite U.S. city: Chicago. After completing a couple’s match, Larson earned a place in McGaw’s orthopaedic surgery program, while van Beek will head to the University of Chicago to focus on radiology.

“Our journey through medical school and the match process overall has not been easy — a true testament to the strength of our relationship,” Larson said. “We couldn’t be more elated to find out that we will both be in the same city for our residency training.”

John X. Thomas, Jr., PhD, senior associate dean for medical education in the Augusta Webster, MD, Office of Medical Education (AWOME), emphasized the importance of Match Day in the students’ medical school journey. Thomas says his colleagues certainly share his pride in the accomplishments of the graduating class.

“Having the opportunity to facilitate the education of such gifted students as both an administrator and teacher is such an honor,” said Thomas. “Each student at Feinberg has a unique and compelling story to tell; we are ecstatic to see such wonderful people succeed.”