Only at WashU

Residency was nowhere on my radar when applying to medical school; I just wanted to get in first! So don’t worry about it just yet. Take a moment to celebrate all your hard work to get to this point, and you can rest assured that as long as you continue to show up, this school will have your back when it comes to matching for residency. WashU School of Medicine has a long history of students matching into their top programs, which often happen to be among the most competitive across the country. I had heard these stats as an M1, but it wasn’t until I went to my first Match Day ceremony that I understood what this meant. I was unexpectedly overcome with nerves, goosebumps, and happy tears when watching the M4s open their envelopes to reveal their fate.

We are incredibly lucky to have the experienced support of Dean Diemer and Angie MacBryde from the Career Counseling Office. Dean Diemer has been helping students find their medical specialty and successfully match into their dream programs for more than 20 years. Angie is most helpful for providing a combination of encouragement along with relevant data, resources, and reminders on timelines. In addition, you will find mentors across the institution who are eager to help you in your decision-making process and foster your development into the type of doctor you want to be.

No one in my family is a doctor, so I did not know what to expect in medical school and beyond. Even after third year, I was struggling to narrow down on one specialty. I also had doubts about how competitive my application for residency would be. However, once I reached out, I got the support I needed to make the stressful residency application process fruitful and well-informed. I am so excited to see the results on Match Day for myself and all my classmates!

At WashU School of Medicine, each incoming M1 student is paired with an M2 Big Sib to serve as a guide for transitioning into med school, living in St. Louis, and anything else that’s on your mind! Although the level of involvement is different for every pair, I loved the opportunity to catch up every once in a while, whether it’s grabbing coffee, exploring restaurants in The Grove, or going through existential crises in the Farrell Learning and Teaching Center (FLTC). The Big Sibs/Little Sibs program also enables the classes to support each other during important moments in the med school journey. For example, our “bigs” surprised us with small presents (and snack fuel) before our first exam. In return, my classmates organized a chance to write cards to our bigs before they began their clerkships. I’m so grateful for not only my big being an amazing mentor and friend but also for the broader Big Sibs/Little Sibs community.

On the first day of orientation, students are sorted into one of three societies: Erlanger-Graham, Lowry-Moore, and Cori. Each society has a faculty advisor and student leaders who work together to plan and host social events throughout the year. These events are a great opportunity to interact with peers and faculty while doing something fun (on the school’s dime, too). Participating in society events also allows you to earn “society points,” and the society with the most points at the end of the year wins the coveted Society Cup. Some events we have hosted this year include an outing to a St. Louis Blues hockey game, brunch at the Boathouse in Forest Park, Halloween pumpkin carving, and a trip to the Missouri Botanical Garden. I can’t emphasize enough how much I have enjoyed being a part of a society. The societies bring people together and help foster the sense of community and camaraderie that is central to a WashU School of Medicine education.