LEBANON, Oregon – Student doctors from Western University of Health Sciences’ Oregon campus will participate in Match Day this Friday, when fourth-year medical students from the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest (COMP-Northwest) will learn where they will complete their medical residencies.
“This is the next step in their medical education,” said Paul Aversano, DO, clinical professor of internal medicine and neurology. “After the students graduate, they will go on to complete their residency.”
Each medical student has submitted their top residency program picks to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) web-based Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3)System. Residency programs also confidentially submit their top picks to the NRMP’s R3 System. The system then matches the students with the residency programs. COMP-Northwest medical students will learn of their residency match at the celebration.
Other match programs have already taken place, and approximately half of COMP-Northwest’s fourth-year students have already matched through those programs. The final match will take place during the Match Day celebration.
“By March 20, the students will know where the next step in their medical training lies,” Aversano said.
Medical residencies can range from three to seven years, depending on the specialty. For example, family practice is three years, while neurosurgery is seven years. Following residency, the physician is then able to set up practice in the community of their choice.
“While graduation does not occur until June, Match Day represents a culmination of four difficult years of work,” said Paula M. Crone, DO, Dean of COMP and COMP-Northwest. “This day is the revelation of where their efforts will take them next on this arduous journey to becoming an osteopathic physician. Officially they become doctors at graduation, but residency is necessary for them to practice their art. I have no doubt they will all make us proud.”
The Match Day celebration will be held from 8 to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, March 20 at the Samaritan Center, 605 Mullins Drive.
# # #
About Western University of Health Sciences
Western University of Health Sciences (http://www.westernu.edu/), located in Pomona, Calif. and Lebanon, Ore., is an independent nonprofit health professions university, conferring degrees in biomedical sciences, dental medicine, health sciences, medical sciences, nursing, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, podiatric medicine and veterinary medicine. WesternU is home to the Patient Care Center, where the best in collaborative health care services is offered. The Chronicle of Higher Education named WesternU a Great College to Work For in 2012, 2013 and 2014. The College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest, located in Oregon, will hold its inaugural commencement on Friday, June 5, 2015 on the Lebanon campus.
