DO and PsyD students celebrated the next phase of their medical careers as they
learned their residency matches.
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) marked the National Residency Match Program (NRMP)’s Match Day with a full day of events, including a first-ever on campus celebration that brought together Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) students who participated in earlier matches such as the Military Graduate Medical Education Match, the American Osteopathic Association Intern/Resident Registration Program (AOA) and those who were awaiting the results of the NRMP Match.
In the afternoon, the lobby and mezzanine of Evans Hall were filled with students and family eager to celebrate the next phase in their medical careers. The event featured remarks by student groups and honored those who had participated in the earlier matches by asking them to pin their residency locations on a special map. Also honored was Thomas LeNoir (DO ’19) winner of the Invest in Your Future Award, which provides funds to help offset the financial costs of starting a new residency.
Joan Grzybowski, DO ’87, assistant professor, family medicine and current president of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association, remarked that the group was “a gathering of the nation’s greatest future physicians.
“To be here today,” she continued, “means that you have accomplished every task put in front of you, and that you have worked very hard.”
Michael Becker, DO ’87, MS, assistant dean, clerkship education, shared a different interpretation of what the “match” in Match Day meant to him.
“The sticks of a match are your loved ones, your teachers here at PCOM, who have all provided you with a strong foundation to begin your careers,” and spark the fuse of success, he explained.
At 1 pm, Evans Hall erupted in cheers, applause, hugs and some happy tears, as students who participated in the NRMP Match finally learned where they would be going for their residencies.
An evening event, hosted by the PCOM Alumni Association at Lucky Strike in Philadelphia offered another opportunity to celebrate matches for students in the DO and Doctor of Clinical Psychology (PsyD) programs. At the event, students received commemorative “I Matched” t-shirts, took photos at a designated photo booth with props, and partook in bowling, pool and various other games.
DO and PsyD students reported moving on to residencies and internships at institutions such as Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia; Inspira Health Network in southern New Jersey; UPMC in Pittsburgh; and Wellspan Philhaven, a network of behavioral health providers in central Pennsylvania.
For the past 125 years, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
Brandon Lausch
Executive Director, Strategic Communications
Email: brandonla@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6312 | Cell:
717-371-0609
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