NYITCOM hosts 'Match Day' with 100% 'match' rate

JONESBORO, Ark- Students at the NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State were among thousands of soon-to-be-physicians across the country, on Friday, as they found out where they will spend the next several years of their lives.

Hugs, tears, and cheers filled the ballroom of the Embassy Suites Hotel and Red Wolf Convention Center as NYIT student doctors celebrated 'Match Day' with a portion of them staying in the mid-south and delta region to continue their most medical school training and education.

Students were recognized on stage before opening their envelope, which revealed where they’ll spend the next three to seven years in residency training.

Arkansas native and NYIT student doctor Joshua Ackley was emotional finding out he will be at NEA Baptist.

“I don’t know if it has set in yet, but we’re excited and we’re happy to be back,” said central Arkansas native Joshua Ackley.

For Joshua- he and his family are happy to be staying in Jonesboro. Caring for the community that helped get him to where he is today.

“Absolutely, so at NEA Baptist, they taught you all about patient care, but not only just patient care but a person as a whole who is there for your care. So, you’re kinda at an individual level with that patient. It’s a great place to be at,” he said with his family standing by his side.

The match process is a stressful time for any medical student…but imagine doing that as a couple.

“We were so scared waking up this morning, but we’re going to the same place. She’s going to be doing internal medicine and I’ll be doing psychiatry,” said Syed Hasnain and Rika Hochstein.

The Texas natives met during their first year at NYIT. Erika says they leaned on each other during the process.

“We knew no matter what happened, we would be supportive of each other, and I’m glad it turned out for the best…We’re both really excited; we’re both from Texas, we went to college in Texas. So, we’re going home to a lot of good friends and family.”

“Yeah, and Match Day in general is a very stressful time when you have to look at those emails or open those envelopes. And finding out we matched at the same program is beyond our expectations,” and Syed.

During their fourth year, students interview and rank their preferred specialized programs with the programs ranking them. They are then matched based on rankings. NYIT had a 100% match rate.

“To have a one hundred percent match rate is a huge deal. It’s a testament to the students, the work they’ve done. But also to our faculty and staff, and the way they’ve prepared them and made them great candidates to programs across the country,” said Casey Pearce, director of external relations and marketing for the NYITCOM at Arkansas State.

Twenty-one students matched in Arkansas, while 15 matched nearby, in places like Memphis, Tulsa, Joplin, and Springfield. Serving and caring for a large medically underserved region.

“So, it’s really important that they train near places where they have those significant physician needs in Arkansas and the Delta, which we’ve said from day one is our mission,” Pearce said.

The student doctors will start their residency programs across the country this summer.