Match Day 2021
School of Medicine Columbia, School of Medicine Greenville students look forward to residency
Posted on: March 15, 2021; Updated on: March 15, 2021
School of Medicine Columbia and School of Medicine Greenville students answer what Match Day means to them, as well as what they are hoping to accomplish in the future.
Name: Travis Hawkins, School of Medicine Columbia
Hometown: Myrtle Beach, SC
Undergrad Institution: College of Charleston Honors College
Intended Specialty: General Surgery
Why/how did you select your intended specialty?
I have always loved working with my hands and being able to manipulate what is in front of me to find a solution. I believe this stemmed from the fact that I grew up working in a wood workshop and always had jobs that required me to work with my hands, whether as a maintenance man or as a dockhand at marinas in Charleston. Once I fell in love with medicine, surgery was the obvious next choice.
What does Match Day mean to you?
It represents the culmination of a lifetime of hard work and experiences that have gotten me to this point. I am also couples matching with my fiancée and classmate, Alyssa Holden, so Match Day means we have found the place we’ll be starting our lives and careers in medicine.
Name: Aaliyah Keels, School of Medicine Greenville
Hometown: Columbia, SC
Undergrad Institution: Wofford College
Intended Specialty: OBGYN
Why/how did you select your intended specialty?
I hope to practice general OBGYN in an underserved area, with a focus on healthcare disparities and caring for patients of color. I also hope to one day create a mentoring program for underrepresented minority students who are interested in going to medical school.
What does Match Day mean to you?
As a first-generation graduate and medical student, I am looking forward to celebrating Match Day with my parents and close friends. I am also excited to see where all of my classmates end up matching!
Name: Sarah Mae Lammert, School of Medicine Columbia
Hometown: Greensburg, PA
Undergrad Institution: BS in Health Sciences at Furman University; BS in Nursing at Duquesne University
Intended Specialty: Anesthesiology
Why/how did you select your intended specialty?
Before medical school I worked as a registered nurse. My last position as a nurse was in the inpatient recovery room where I fell in love with peri-operative medicine and first started to think about becoming an anesthesiologist.
What does Match Day mean to you?
Match Day is both a beginning and an end, very bittersweet in a sense. I will finally have some certainty about where I will be after graduation, but it also represents an end to my medical school journey.
Name: Zalak Shah, School of Medicine Columbia
Hometown: Camden, SC
Undergrad Institution: University of South Carolina
Intended Specialty: Internal Medicine
Why/how did you select your intended specialty?
I decided on Internal Medicine after I completed my third year IM rotation. I love the medical complexity of all the patients and being able to put the puzzle pieces of their acute presentations together while still building some lasting and meaningful relationships. Also, the opportunity to further specialize after residency is a big appeal. All in all, it was everything I was looking for in a career!
What does Match Day mean to you?
From the beginning of my med school journey, this day has been a source of a lot of excitement (and nervousness). It’s a day where my classmates and I are able to celebrate our accomplishments, including all the intellectual and personal growth we’ve had in the last few years. Personally, it means so much to be able to spend the day with my friends and family, who have been so supportive through this rollercoaster of a journey!
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