{"id":183245,"date":"2022-03-18T14:25:40","date_gmt":"2022-03-18T18:25:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=183245"},"modified":"2023-06-27T12:59:11","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T16:59:11","slug":"uconn-trained-future-doctors-meet-their-match","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2022\/03\/uconn-trained-future-doctors-meet-their-match\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn-Trained Future Doctors Meet Their Match"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>At the stroke of noon on Friday, March 18 nearly 100 soon-to-be doctors training at UConn School of Medicine anxiously clicked open digital envelopes to learn their fate on national medical Match Day 2022.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-183267 alignleft img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-Day-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1061-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-Day-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1061-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-Day-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1061-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-Day-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1061-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-Day-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1061-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-Day-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1061-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-Day-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1061-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-Day-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1061-1000x665.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-Day-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1061.jpg 1920w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/>Following this May\u2019s medical school graduation, they will begin their medical residency programs spanning from Connecticut to California during the summer for advanced clinical training over the next several years whether in primary care, family medicine, pediatrics or other medical and surgical specialties.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday is your big day and your big moment,\u201d said Dr. Bruce Liang, dean of UConn School of Medicine and newly named interim CEO of UConn Health during the School\u2019s livestream countdown celebration before the medical students\u2019 destinies were revealed. \u201cWe are 50 years strong thanks to students like you choosing to enter academic medicine. Since 1972 we have been producing future doctors like you for our great state of Connecticut \u2013 and nation. And together with you we are building tomorrow\u2019s talented health care workforce. You are the future of health care. And your future starts today, right here, at UConn, with your Match to a residency program.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"UConn School of Medicine Match Day 2022\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sc7cOxhqA68?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In fact, UConn is Connecticut\u2019s largest and No. 1 source for new physicians and surgeons.<\/p>\n<p>On national medical Match Day, the Class of 2022 had 99 students successfully placed in residency positions. This is a high match rate of 99%, with 26% of medical students going into primary care fields, 29% staying in Connecticut, 48% remaining in New England, and 80% in the Northeast.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are incredibly proud of you,\u201d said Associate Dean for Medical Student Affairs Dr. Melissa Held during the livestreamed countdown celebration in the Academic Rotunda at UConn Health. \u201cLook how far you\u2019ve come. You\u2019ve trained to be doctors in the midst of probably one of the most difficult times in health care. And you\u2019ve made it! You really are prepared for anything that comes your way. Approach this next phase of training with the courage and resilience that I know you have shown these past few years and you will be successful.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_183255\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-183255\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-183255 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Patrick-BIMG_3845-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Patrick-BIMG_3845-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Patrick-BIMG_3845-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Patrick-BIMG_3845-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Patrick-BIMG_3845-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Patrick-BIMG_3845-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Patrick-BIMG_3845-560x420.jpg 560w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Patrick-BIMG_3845-887x665.jpg 887w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/225;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-183255\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Second-year medical student, Patrick Bogui, shared an inspiring livestreamed violin performance of \u201cMan in the Mirror\u201d for the Class of 2022&#8217;s national medical Match Day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Liang concluded in his Match Day remarks: \u201cI know that you will make your mark during residency \u2013 and upon the patients and communities you serve. Because you already have \u2013 right here at UConn Health and in Connecticut these past 4 years. Remember, you will always be an important member of our UConn Family. And we will forever be here for you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The special livestreamed event included an inspiring violin performance by Patrick Bogui, a second-year medical student, playing the song \u201cMan in the Mirror\u201d to inspire the matching students.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCongrats to the Class of 2022. One of the things I\u2019m learning at UConn is that as doctors we are advocates for our patients. The change that we want to see has to start with us,\u201d said Bogui.<em><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Some of the many medical student stories from Match Day 2022 include:<\/p>\n<p><strong>More Women Surgeons on the Way<\/strong><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>Sandy Carpenter, 25, of Ridgefield is excited to discover what her future holds as she heads off to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston to become a general surgeon.<em><br \/>\n<\/em><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-183268 alignleft img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-day-2022-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0992-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-day-2022-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0992-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-day-2022-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0992-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-day-2022-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0992-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-day-2022-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0992-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-day-2022-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0992-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-day-2022-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0992-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-day-2022-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0992-1000x665.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-day-2022-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0992.jpg 1920w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/>\u201cI am off to general surgery residency,\u201d says Carpenter.\u00a0 \u201cI chose general surgery because of the surge of adrenaline I get in the operating room, my passion for art and working with my hands,\u00a0and the privileged\u00a0opportunity to care for\u00a0critically ill and vulnerable patients every day. <strong>\u200b<\/strong>UConn SOM\u00a0offers exceptional clinical experiences at the hospitals in and around Hartford where you have the opportunity to make a difference in patients&#8217; lives. For each specialty I rotated through, I really enjoyed being part of the team and collaborating to solve problems for our patients.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Also staying for orthopaedic surgery residency training at UConn School of Medicine is Francine Zeng &#8217;18 (CLAS)<strong><em>, <\/em><\/strong>25, of South Windsor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am so excited for Match Day,\u201d says Zeng. \u201cIt is amazing finally seeing all of our determination and efforts over the past 4 years pay off as we find out what the next steps of our journey are.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I came into medical school, I had zero exposure to orthopaedics, and honestly did not see myself as a surgeon. However, I fell in love with anatomy early on and realized I love being in the operating room. My favorite thing about orthopaedics is the ability to directly help patients with their functional abilities and get them back to doing the things they love. It is also a diverse field and operations can range from creating a new thumb for a child or providing an elderly patient with a new hip so they can walk pain free,\u201d says Zeng.<\/p>\n<p>Zeng credits her biggest inspiration and mentor Dr. Kathy Coyner, who she met on the first day of medical school. Coyner runs several workshops with the goal of exposing and inspiring more females to enter surgical subspecialties.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDr. Coyner took me under her wing early on and allowed me to gain more exposure to, and ultimately fall in love with, orthopaedics. I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today without her support,\u201d says Zeng. \u201cMy time at UConn has given me the confidence and resources to become a great a physician and I am so excited to get started!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-183272 alignleft img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0978-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0978-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0978-1-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0978-1-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0978-1-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0978-1-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0978-1-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0978-1-1000x665.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_0978-1.jpg 1920w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/>Also remaining at UConn School of Medicine for orthopaedic surgery is Lisa Tamburini, 28, of Wolcott. She also attended UConn as an undergraduate. \u201cFour years of hard work, with big and small accomplishments along the way, and it\u2019s all for this day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI entered medical school with the goal of becoming an orthopaedic surgeon and can now officially say I am going to accomplish that goal,\u201d says Tamburini, who shared her special digital envelope opening moment with her husband and parents. \u201cThey have been by my side throughout this journey; providing support, meals, a listening ear, and space and time to myself depending on the time of year or time of day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The field of orthopaedic surgery lacks women, with only 6% of orthopaedic surgeons being female. \u201cWhile this is the case, I have never felt like I couldn\u2019t accomplish my goals because the support I have had from UConn has been amazing,&#8221; Tamburini says. &#8220;UConn has three outstanding female Orthopaedic surgeons, Dr. Coyner, Dr. Geaney, and Dr. Solovyova, that have helped me every step of the way and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. I really can\u2019t thank each of them enough for not only mentoring me but also for just being themselves and proving that being a female and being an orthopaedic surgeon is absolutely a possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>It&#8217;s a Couples-Match<\/strong><br \/>\n\u201cI am extremely excited for Match Day!\u201d says Carla Fabiola Rivera-Perez<em>, <\/em>26, from San Juan, Puerto Rico<strong><em>. <\/em><\/strong>She says she traded in her tropical island for the chance to attend UConn\u2019s medical school in snowy Connecticut. She opened her digital envelope for a psychiatry residency alongside boyfriend Gabriel Colon<strong>, <\/strong>27, from Hartford, who matched in emergency medicine. They chose to couple-match and will be headed together to Mount Sinai Morningside-West in New York City.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGrowing up, I was very fortunate to have parents who allowed me to express my emotions in very healthy ways and who emphasized the importance of mental health. This and having the opportunity to witness the amazing work psychiatrists do every day inspired me to pursue a career in Psychiatry,\u201d says Riviera-Perez. \u201cPursuing a career in medicine is a long and tough road at times, but if the passion and drive are there, the journey is truly worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Made their Match<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_183258\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-183258\" style=\"width: 223px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-183258 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Nurudeen-Lucky-Osumah-Class-of-2022-IMG_8476-L-e1647633035281-223x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"223\" height=\"300\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Nurudeen-Lucky-Osumah-Class-of-2022-IMG_8476-L-e1647633035281-223x300.jpg 223w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Nurudeen-Lucky-Osumah-Class-of-2022-IMG_8476-L-e1647633035281-313x420.jpg 313w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Nurudeen-Lucky-Osumah-Class-of-2022-IMG_8476-L-e1647633035281.jpg 400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 223px) 100vw, 223px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 223px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 223\/300;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-183258\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Nurudeen Lucky Osumah of the Class of 2022 will be staying at UConn for his emergency medicine residency.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One of those future medical doctors joining the health care workforce at UConn School of Medicine as an emergency medicine resident is Nurudeen Lucky Osumah &#8217;21 MBA, 28, who opened up news of his resident placement with his family in West Haven.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am very excited for Match Day 2022. It was a culmination of all the hard work that I and many of my friends put into medical school. This is a momentous milestone in my life,\u201d says Osumah, who is choosing to enter emergency medicine based on the opportunity to make an immediate difference. Also, interestingly he took a year off from medical school during the pandemic to earn his MBA at UConn.<\/p>\n<p>Osumah stresses: \u201cI always tell people that UConn School of Medicine provides a sense of community I would not have at other medical schools. In addition, I am heavily involved in Health Career Opportunity Programs and dedicated much of my time to help the pipeline program. For all of the students who want to go into medicine, always continue to persevere and move forward. Working in healthcare is a very rewarding experience. The road itself is long and stressful but the outcome is well worth the wait.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"grey-sidebar full-sidebar\">\n  <\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-183264 alignnone img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/HEA_GraphicBadges50Years_210305_SOM_2-final-300x214.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"177\" height=\"126\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/HEA_GraphicBadges50Years_210305_SOM_2-final-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/HEA_GraphicBadges50Years_210305_SOM_2-final-1024x730.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/HEA_GraphicBadges50Years_210305_SOM_2-final-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/HEA_GraphicBadges50Years_210305_SOM_2-final-1536x1095.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/HEA_GraphicBadges50Years_210305_SOM_2-final-589x420.jpg 589w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/HEA_GraphicBadges50Years_210305_SOM_2-final-933x665.jpg 933w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/HEA_GraphicBadges50Years_210305_SOM_2-final.jpg 2000w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 177px) 100vw, 177px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 177px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 177\/126;\" \/>50 Years of UConn Doctors<br \/>\n<\/strong><em>UConn School of Medicine is celebrating 50 years of doctors being made at its institution. <\/em><em>The School is Connecticut\u2019s largest single source of new physicians and surgeons. As such, some of the matching fourth-year graduating students shared their thoughts.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is surreal going through an esteemed learning environment which produced some highly trained physicians. Being a part of this legacy gives me both pride in myself and this institution that gave me the tools to be successful in the workforce. As a practicing physician, my goal is to live up to the expectations of this school.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>-Nurudeen Lucky Osumah, Class of 2022 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt truly is an honor to be part of 50 years of doctors graduating from this institution! I have met so many amazing physicians and mentors throughout the past 4 years who graduated from UConn and it feels great to know that I will soon be a UConn alumna myself!\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>-Carla Riviera-Perez, Class of 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is an exciting honor to be part of such a great legacy!\u201d<br \/>\n<em><strong>&#8211;<\/strong><\/em><strong>Caity Miller, Class of 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0\u201c<\/strong>I am very honored and proud to be a part of a long legacy of medical education that has helped to meet the medical needs of both CT and wherever else Husky grads end up practicing. I have always heard great things said about UConn SOM graduates, both in medical institutions in CT and in other states, so I hope to continue that legacy by exemplifying the strong clinical acumen and bedside manner that UConn graduates are known and celebrated for.<br \/>\n<strong>-Suleiman Abiola, Class of 2022 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is an honor to graduate UConn SOM and apply what I have learned\u00a0to take care of patients in residency. I know I have been prepared well for the challenges of residency!\u201d Being a part of the UConn Family has been an incredible experience. I am proud to be a UConn graduate and excited to make UConn proud in return!\u201d<strong><br \/>\n&#8211;<\/strong><strong> Sandy Carpenter, Class of 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am incredibly humbled and proud to be graduating from UConn School of Medicine! I hope to continue making my teachers, family, and peers proud as I start residency. I also looking forward to passing on the lessons I have learned to my future mentees as well. I attended UConn undergrad as well, so obtaining my medical degree at UConn Health has only strengthened my love for the UConn Family! If you go to UConn, you automatically become part of a big, supportive family. I am so thankful for the opportunities and friends that UConn has provided me and I look forward to carrying them with me for the rest of my life!\u201d<br \/>\n<em><strong>&#8211;<\/strong><\/em><strong>Francine Zeng, Class of 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel privileged to join the list of doctors who have graduated from UConn. Many of the doctors involved in medical education have graduated from UConn. They are all exceptionally intelligent and caring. And they wanted to come back and teach us!! I am so proud to become one of them! I am so proud to be part of the UConn Family. I know that I have a strong foundation of knowledge because I was educated by some of the best in the field. When I was a child I thought UConn was the only university that existed. Two of my grandparents, my parents, and my sister all went to UConn. After graduating from UConn with my undergraduate degree, it only made sense that I continued my education at UConn SOM. I am a Husky at heart and have loved every minute of my medical education here. What I love most is the people. Everyone involved in medical education is truly invested in every student. They want to get to know us as people, not just students. They want to help us through life events, not just school events.<br \/>\n<strong>&#8211; Lisa Tamburini, Class of 2022 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s amazing that 50 years of physicians went to medical school at UConn. As medicine moves forward, I hope the core principles in medical training continue to evolve with a focus on cultivating strong, diverse, and humble clinicians.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>-George Bekheet, Class of 2022 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel so honored to be a part of the family UConn School of Medicine has created over the past 50 years. Not only is this family composed of exceptional physicians, it is also composed of incredible human beings. The school does a phenomenal job of nurturing a class that celebrates each other\u2019s accomplishments and provides support when times are tough. We\u2019ve formed bonds that are irreplicable.\u201d<br \/>\n&#8211;<strong> Nathaniel Jenkins, Class of 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cHuskies today, Huskies tomorrow, Huskies forever.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>-William Lambert, Class of 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><\/aside>\n<p>Future pediatrician Caity Miller &#8217;27 (CLAS), 26, of Greenwich<em>, <\/em>like most of her classmates, was excited, but also anxious to see what institution\u2019s name was inside her digital envelope.<\/p>\n<p>She is headed to Children\u2019s Hospital in Philadelphia, and her boyfriend William Lambert<strong>,<\/strong> 27, of East Hampton, is headed into neurosurgery residency at UMass Chan Medical School.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA part of me has always felt drawn to the pediatrics field, and seeing the hope and resilience that has threaded all of my experiences with the pediatric population,&#8221; Miller says. &#8220;We have amazing mentors in pediatrics here at UConn which has been incredible for all of us entering this field. There is no &#8216;one&#8217; or &#8216;right&#8217; rack to a career in health care or medicine. The road to any of these careers is long and challenging. Take the path that is right for you and do what you love and you will never be wrong.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-183273 alignleft img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1180-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1180-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1180-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1180-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1180-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1180-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1180-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1180-1000x665.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1180.jpg 1920w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/>&#8220;As a soon-to-be double UConn grad, it is so nice to see that carrying that UConn name with you really does mean family,&#8221; she says. &#8220;When looking at medical schools, finding a place with a strong sense of community and support was one of my top priorities. This is what I found at the UConn School of Medicine on my interview day, and what drew me to stay! That sense of community has definitely stayed strong throughout my four years, and the sense of support I feel from not only faculty, but my peers has made for a wonderful four years.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Future neurosurgeon Lambert agrees: \u201cUConn School of Medicine offers a team-based, collaborative learning environment for students to form a solid clinical foundation, allowing them to excel in whatever field they chose to pursue. Thanks to invaluable mentorship, I will be entering the field of neurosurgery. While there are a multitude of mentors for which I have to thank for the opportunity to pursue this career, I owe a special thanks to Dr. Ali Sultan, Dr. David Hersh, and Dr. Ketan Bulsara, without whom I would not be where I am today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another matching medical student is Nathaniel Jenkins &#8217;17 (CLAS)<strong>, <\/strong>26, of Bristol, who is entering psychiatry residency in California at UC San Francisco.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur entire medical careers lead up to the thrilling event of Match Day,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_183270\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-183270\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-183270 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1106-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1106-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1106-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1106-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1106-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1106-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1106-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1106-1000x665.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Match-som-match_UCH_2022-03-18_1106.jpg 1920w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-183270\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>George Bekheet matched to anesthesiology residency training at Boston\u2019s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>During medical school he discovered that mental health is a gateway to physical health. \u201cProviding patients with the tools they need to do the things they love to do and live a life of fulfillment is my passion,\u201d says Jenkins. \u201cUConn\u2019s psychiatry department is really top-notch and has allowed me to have phenomenal experiences. Of the many wonderful mentors I\u2019ve had, Dr. Zdanys and Dr. Fahed have been the biggest inspiration to me. I attribute so much of my success to them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jenkins says \u201cI feel well prepared to enter the front lines as a result of the incredible training UConn has provided me. I am 100% UConn. I have been a part of this family since I started my undergraduate degree as a freshman at Storrs. I loved it so much that I just had to stay for medical school! I suppose that makes me a &#8216;Double Husky.&#8217; I wouldn\u2019t change it for the world. This University will always hold a special place in my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>George Bekheet, 26, of Melville, New York, who is entering the specialty field of anesthesiology for training at Boston\u2019s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, agrees.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m glad to be a UConn Husky. UConn School of Medicine is a community of friends and family that have taught me the foundational elements of medicine. I&#8217;ve also met countless life-long friends,\u201d says Bekheet, who credits his father inspiring him to enter medicine.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_183256\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-183256\" style=\"width: 225px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-183256 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Abiola-med-class-of-2022-and-brother-IMG_5359-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Abiola-med-class-of-2022-and-brother-IMG_5359-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Abiola-med-class-of-2022-and-brother-IMG_5359-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Abiola-med-class-of-2022-and-brother-IMG_5359-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Abiola-med-class-of-2022-and-brother-IMG_5359-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Abiola-med-class-of-2022-and-brother-IMG_5359-315x420.jpg 315w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Abiola-med-class-of-2022-and-brother-IMG_5359-499x665.jpg 499w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Abiola-med-class-of-2022-and-brother-IMG_5359-scaled.jpg 1920w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 225px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 225\/300;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-183256\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>A soon-to-be family medicine resident Suleiman Abiola with his brother Olajide Abiola (SOM \u201919) during his White Coat Ceremony at the start of his medical school career.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Suleiman Abiola, 28<em>, <\/em>of Trumbull, matched into family medicine at Middlesex Hospital. His brother, Olajide Abiola, also graduated from the medical school in 2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor me, family practice seemed like the most natural expression of the deep-rooted values I have maintained my whole life. I believe family medicine will allow me to continue to make deep and lasting connections with people from all age ranges and walks of life,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUConn has been such a great home for me. I decided to go to UConn because I felt that I would have a supportive learning environment with faculty that and students that would help me thrive and that has truly been the case. I am glad to finally be a Husky and to fully embrace the blue that bleeds throughout Connecticut. Living and working in and around UConn Health has actually helped me to really appreciate all that Connecticut has to offer and has helped me envision the possibility of setting down long-term roots in Connecticut.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is the day UConn School of Medicine students find out where their journey will take them next<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":183266,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[147,2226,2192,2193,2388,2197,2196,2194,2199,1868,2235,2198,179,2306,2234],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1873],"class_list":["post-183245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-clas","category-fairfield-county","category-hartford-county","category-healthcare-workforce","category-litchfield-county","category-middlesex-county","category-new-haven-county","category-new-london-county","category-meds","category-today-homepage","category-tolland-county","category-uconn-health","category-uconn-voices","category-university-life"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-12 15:59:15","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183245","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/98"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=183245"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183245\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":183287,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183245\/revisions\/183287"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/183266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=183245"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=183245"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=183245"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=183245"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=183245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}