It’s a match

Pediatrics, Internal Medicine top Match Day specialties for UC medical students

Hagar Elgendy celebrated Match Day by getting her top residency program pick.

She will be starting her residency at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, N.C., in physical medicine and rehabilitation. The fourth-year medical student at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine celebrated with her husband, former Bengals player Cedric Peerman, and four kids — all born while she completed medical school.  

She learned online, as did other students at UC and across the nation, where her family will spend the next three to seven years training in residency to become future physicians. Elgendy was one of 174 matched medical students at UC.

“I couldn’t have imagined this day any better,” says Elgendy. “It has been a tough journey and so many people have stood by me every step of the way. We are moving to North Carolina and I feel so much peace and excitement.”

Elgendy dressed her little ones — Emmaus, 5, Ava, 3, Isabelle, 3, and Elias, nine months — in Carolina blue outfits for a live Facetime session, with family and friends.

Hagar Elgendy and family

Hagar Elgendy celebrates Match Day with her family. Photo/provided

Match Day is a rite of passage for fourth-year medical students nationwide. This year’s Match Day, like last year’s event, came in the midst of a pandemic. Large-scale celebratory events, like UC’s traditional gathering in Kresge Auditorium, were put on hold for Facebook live events and smaller meetings with family and close friends.

Top medical specialties for UC medical students included pediatrics, internal medicine, emergency medicine and family medicine. About half (48.3%) of UC students will stay in Ohio while other popular destinations include health care systems in New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Michigan.

In Greater Cincinnati, 51 medical students from UC will do all or part of their residency at area hospitals. Overall, the largest number of UC students (34) will stay at UC Medical Center for training. Another six students will train at Jewish Hospital, four at Cincinnati Children’s and three each at Christ Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital. One student will stay at Bethesda Hospital.

Rafael Guiterrez, a fourth-year medical student from Miami, is returning to South Florida. He matched into internal medicine at University of Miami-Holy Cross. It was among his top choices, and he couldn’t be happier. 

“Match Day started with excitement mixed with a lot of fear,” says Guiterrez, who learned of his residency destination with family. “I ranked places all over Florida and Ohio. I wanted to be close to my family back in Florida. This was the culmination of everything I have worked for.  I finally know where I am going to be training and I have a job for the next three years.”

2021 College of Medicine "Match Day" students.

Sven Wang in front of the UC College of Medicine. Photo by Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand.

Sven Wang, a fourth-year medical student at UC, and his twin brother Lyon, a fourth-year medical student at Ohio State, will both complete internal medicine residency programs at Rush University in Chicago. Sven and Lyon texted with each other before telling their parents about the match.  

Their father, James Wang, is a nurse at UC Medical Center, while their mother Linda Zhou is an acupuncturist. 

“They both live in Cincinnati and are so glad we aren’t so far away,” says Sven. “It has always been a dream for my parents to have both brothers as practicing physicians.”

Julia Stimpfl, a fourth-year medical student, celebrated a successful match into psychiatry. She will remain a Bearcat doing her resident at the University of Cincinnati. She received the news with her husband Jose Polanco and young son Elliott Polanco.

"The University of Cincinnati was my top choice," explains Stimpfl. "I have loved the past four years here and have made so many wonderful connections. I can't wait for another four."

Julia Stimpfl shown with her husband Jose Polanco and their son El

Julia Stimpfl shown with her husband Jose Polanco and their son Elliott. Photo submitted.

Medical students shared photos and videos of their match via text, social media and email.  View those social media posts using #CincyMatch2021.

“It was a year of nuances with students being unable to do visiting electives in their specialty of choice or do in-person interviews,” explains Aurora Bennett, associate dean of student affairs in the UC College of Medicine. “Their third year of medical school was interrupted due to the pandemic. Our Class of 2021 did not hesitate to partner with administration and advisors to find a path forward to reach this day. We missed sharing this day in person with them, but are looking forward to, hopefully, having an in-person graduation to wish them well in this next phase of their careers.”

Featured image at top: Rafael Gutierrez in the UC College of Medicine/Photo/provided

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