Med students anxiously await match day

While most University students were dreading the end of spring break, most fourth-year medical students couldn't wait until it was over. Today is match day -- the day residency positions are assigned to medical students nationwide. "We're all sort of anxious waiting," fourth-year Med student Elise Lebel said yesterday. "It's such a grab bag . . . regardless of how good you are you never know what's going to be in the envelope." Lebel added that there can be up to 40 applicants for the most competitive spots. Residency positions at hospitals are assigned through a computerized process which requires med students nationwide to visit and rank the locations of their choice. Hospitals submit a ranked list of students they would like to accept. On match day, each student is accepted by just one hospital. It's the waiting which keeps med students counting the days. "You only get into one place," Med student Alex Parikh said before break. But he noted that the match-up system is "biased for the students" because the computer tries to match students with their choices as best it can. "I know the hardest day for me was the day before putting the rank list in," said Lebel, who is hoping for a position at the University, the University of Pittsburgh or Stanford University. "The scary thing about applying is that we all sign this contract that says we will be bound to whatever's in that envelope." "It really forces you to decide where you want to go," said Parikh, who is applying under a "couples match" option with his fiancee. "It's a competitive year and because there's two of us, we play this thing fairly conservatively." Medical School Vice Dean of Education Frederic Burg said before break that he understands the high anxiety experienced during the application process, but feels that its design serves the students well. "We do extra well because of the caliber and reputation of our students," Burg said. "They are sought after by the best institutions in the country and have the opportunity to enter a residency program in any area." Burg said he understands the anxiety experienced as match day approaches, but he said he feels that the anxiety is a necessary trade-off for a system which is "better for the students in the long run." "You can shoot as high as you want to," Burg said. He noted that under the old system hospitals would rush the students and there was pressure to accept positions. The present system "allows maximum opportunity against the trade-off of the anxieties," Burg said. But both Parikh and Lebel agree that the University's reputation will give them an advantage. "Being from Penn really helps," Parikh said. "They sort of roll out the red carpet wherever you go." "Everywhere you went, the Penn name connected you to people," said Lebel. "I didn't expect that."

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