More than 250 University of South Carolina health sciences students learned where they’ll take the next step in their careers during national Match Day celebrations on March 19 and 21.
Pharmacy students found out their matches through virtual celebrations, and then medical students in Columbia and Greenville celebrated in-person, sharing their excitement in real time with faculty, family and friends.
Palmetto impact
The University of South Carolina graduates more health care workers than any other institution in the state.
For the Columbia and Greenville medical schools, each saw a 99 percent match rate for their graduates. According to the American Medical Association, the U.S. average match rate typically ranges between 90 and 94 percent.
Forty-six medical students will remain in South Carolina at facilities including AnMed Health, Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, Lexington Medical Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Prisma Health, Spartanburg Medical Center and Trident Medical Center.
Thirteen pharmacy students will remain in South Carolina.
Matching with purpose
According to the National Resident Matching Program, concerns remain about a shortage of primary care physicians across the U.S. Both medical schools showed promise in this area. Seventy-seven matched in primary care, which includes internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics.
How it works
Match Day marks the start for students of their specialty identity. During their final year, medical and pharmacy students complete applications, essays and interviews with residency programs across the country, ranking their top choices. The National Resident Matching Program algorithm matches medical students and programs based on these mutual rankings.
Pharmacy students can pursue postgraduate training with a variety of institutions including executive residencies, fellowships or independent programs. Most are matched through the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Resident Matching Program.
What she’s saying
“It showcases the strengths of our academic programs that graduates often specialize in high-need areas like acute care, emergency medicine, primary care and infectious diseases,” says Donna Arnett, EVP for academic affairs and provost.