MedCenter Air

I finally got to do a transfer in a helicopter.

Getting ready to land

We landed on the 50 yard line to pick up our patient

Ericson Stadium

Home of the Carolina Panthers

December

Sorry about the delay in updating what I have been up to. I spent December rotating through the Pediatric Emergency Department (ED). I also started doing interviews as part of applying for my residency (more about this later.) Also, since the Pediatric ED. works shifts like the adult side, I was able to spend some time with DGA, KT, and CC! (CC was home from North Carolina for the holidays.) Oh yes, there was also the time spent fighting the crowds; stuck in traffic; and standing in line while doing my Christmas shopping.

So, what is it like to work in the Pediatric ED? Well, I found out that kids get hurt in unique ways just like adults. For example, one kid was standing up when the bus took off and he sat down abruptly onto a pencil. He was transported to the Peds ED by ambulance while lying on his stomach. This was due to him having approximately four inches of a pencil imbedded into the back of his thigh. Another kid was moving some metal behind his dads shop when a piece of metal that he was moving slipped, hitting him in the face. However, his dad had another theory. He said that he had previously caught his son sword fighting with his older son and he believes that he was hit in the face during their sword play. Anyway, the metal caught him in the corner of his mouth and made a laceration about one inch long. On initial exam, it looked like he had cut all the through his cheek to the inside of his mouth. Plastic surgery had to come in to close the laceration. Oh, by the way, remember how your mom preached the evils of B.B. guns? Well, she was right. Kids are shot in the eye with B.B. guns.

Parents also do stupid stuff. Unfortunately, it is the children who usually pay for their parent's stupidity. Since U.M.C. has the only Pediatric ED and Childrens Hospital in the state, many patients are transported to U.M.C. from all over the state. During my rotation, I saw kids who were injured in car wrecks because they were not belted or properly restrained in a car seat. I also saw one small infant who was seriously injured because the parent had placed the car seat on the front seat of the car and did not have it facing towards the rear of the car. We also had patients who had drank/ate potentially poisonous stuff like bleach; weight loss pills containing ephedra; and grandma's heart medicine. It still amazes me that some parents simply do not believe anything can happen to their children and therefore do not see a need in protecting their children from potentially dangerous situations.

I also found out that some parents will bring their kids to the ED for really minor reasons. More than once I told a parent, Your child has a cold. Since most colds are caused by a virus (and no mom, anti-bacterial drugs, a.k.a. antibiotics, do not help viral illnesses) we can only offer comfort care. However, there are times when a secondary infection can occur. For example, when the membranes in the childs nose starts to swell and the child tries to blow their nose or they sneeze, they might force bacteria into the ear canal that connects the ear and throat. This can cause an ear infection due to bacteria and we do have antibiotics for ear infections. I also found out some parents will bring their child to the ED because they (the parent) want a work excuse.

We also had the suspicious cases. One 18 month old was brought in because the parents were concerned he had hurt his leg when he fell. The x-ray did show a fracture. But, it wasn't the type of fracture you would expect from a fall. Then, you notice mom has what looks like an old black eye. The dad would not let the mom speak and he would never leave the room. We asked one of the social workers to help us out since they have much more training in interview people about a delicate subject, like possible child abuse, than I do.

We had another 16 year old come in after wrecking his four-wheeler. This in itself was not unusual. After all, the weekend after Christmas we had four patients who were transported in after wrecking their A.T.V. (two with head injuries, none were wearing a helmet). There were two patients transported after wrecking their bikes (one head injury, no helmets used) and we had two trampoline accidents. Anyway, this guy said he ran from the accident site. (Ran from his own A.T.V.?) He said he hit a tree, not a car. (Yet, the glass in his hair was the kind found in automobiles. After working on an ambulance for nine years, you know what shattered safety glass looks like.) The uncle that brought him in acted like he was under the influence of something (we found out later he wasn't the patient's uncle.) Anyway, before the patient was discharged we had to get campus police involved to try and keep the peace since the uncle was telling us what he was and was not going to do. There is never a dull moment in the ED, even on the pediatric side.

Technically, the Pediatric ED sees patients 16 years old and younger. But, some of these 14 and 15 year olds are bigger than I am. (For that matter, I had an 8 year old boy who weighed 165 pounds.) Anyway, one of the pediatric residents was complaining about one of his patients. His theory is that when they develop breast, pubic hair, and begin menstruating, they are no longer a pediatric patient. Speaking of developing, I had several female patients come in complaining of lower abdominal pain. I found out later, their abdominal pain improved immensely, once they found out they were not pregnant.

All in all, I had a really good experience in the Peds ED. As far as I know, the UMC Pediatric ED is the only place in Mississippi you can go to 24 hours a day and have a board certified pediatric doctor and pediatric residents available to treat your child. Needless to say, I learned a lot and I was able to brush up on examining and treating kids. I was also able to do a couple of lumbar (spinal) taps which was interesting. And, I got to look in a million ears and dig out a ton of ear wax! Woo Yoo!!

Now for an explanation of how residency works. First, consider that all medical students, regardless of what they will eventually specialize in, take the same classes and do the same rotations during the first three years of school. The fourth year of medical school, the student has their first opportunity to start taking some specialized classes. For example, my classmates who are planning on going into pediatrics are taking as many pediatric rotations as possible. For those who are going into surgery, they are taking a lot of surgery rotations.

Being able to work within a selected field gives you a chance to see if you are really going to enjoy specializing within that field. It also gives you a chance to work with and meet some doctors who are already established within the field you are planning on going into. This gives you an opportunity to get your letters of recommendation from someone who is (hopefully) well known.

The reason all of this is important is because you have to apply for a residency position just like you had to apply for medical school. Since I am planning on going into emergency medicine, I first had to decide which programs I would and would not consider applying to for a residency position. I knew I did not want to move out of the southeast so, I did not even consider applying to any of the other programs up north or on the East Coast or West Coast. Then, of the programs listed in the southeast, I had to consider which ones I wanted to apply to for a position. For example, I did not apply to the Univ. Of Alabama at Birmingham's program since it was just started last year and I am certain it probably has some kinks that need to be worked out. I did not apply to some of the programs because of where they were located and I did not feel comfortable moving DGA and KT into those areas. Others were ruled out because they did not see enough patients in their E.D. for me to feel comfortable with the amount of hands on training that I would be receiving.

After you send off your application and it is forwarded to each program you listed, each program goes through the applications and decides which candidates will be invited to interview with them. I will admit that I was a bit disappointed about not getting back a ton of interview offers. On the other hand, Im glad I didn't spend several thousand dollars going all over the southeast to interview when I already knew I was planning on ranking UMC as my number one choice.

When the students have finished interviewing, they will rank each place they interviewed in order of preference. Each program will rank everyone they interviewed in their order of preference. Both lists go into a national computer bank and the computer matches up each applicant with the schools. The idea is to try and give each applicant their preferred program and at the same time, they try and give each program their preferred applicants.

In the best case scenario, each applicant will get either their first or second choice. If they don't get one of their first two choices, then hopefully they will match with some other program they have listed. However, every year, there are a few applicants that do not match with anyone on their list. When this happens, the national organization in charge of doing the matching will contact the Dean of each school on the Monday of Match Week and give them a list of those applicants who did not match into any of their requested programs. The Deans office will contact each student to let them know they did not match. On Tuesday, all of the applicants that did not match (from all of the medical schools across the nation) will sit down with a list of programs within their desired field that still have vacancies. They will basically be applying, interviewing, and selecting a program within one or two days. Then, on Thursday, March 20th, senior medical students all across the nation will open their letter and find out where they will be doing their residency.

Like I said, Im going to list UMC as my first choice because I hope to stay in Jackson. There are many more reasons for me to stay in Jackson than there are for me to try and go elsewhere. UMC has the only Level I emergency department in the state so they see a ton of cool stuff. They see over 70, 000 patients a year so I will get plenty of hands on training. Jackson is only an hour and a half from home so it will be easy for DGA and KT to come home on the weekends if Im on call or working a shift.

Oh, speaking of Jackson, I have been asked frequently where else in the state I can do my training. UMC is the only place I can do my residency in emergency medicine. I have also been asked what is a residency. Think of residency as an advanced, on-the-job training program where each year you will be given more and more responsibility and less and less supervision. The first year graduates are known as interns. Even though they have the M.D. (Me Doctor) behind their name, they do not have enough experience to function as a doctor independently and without supervision. Each intern will have all of the senior residents (second year residents, third year residents, etc.) to help out and to ensure they don't overlook anything. And, all of the residents have several attendings (Board Certified physicians within a particular field) looking over each of them.

Anyway, right now it is a bit strange. We don't know if we are going to stay in Jackson or move. DGA can't start applying for a job until we find out where I am going to do my residency. If I do not stay in Jackson, then we will have from March 20th until July 1st to find someplace to live in whatever town I am going to do my residency in.

If I do match in Jackson, then I will hopefully, spend my first year as a newly graduated doctor (Post Graduate Year 1 a.k.a. PGY1), working in Internal Medicine. Then, starting in my PGY2 year, I will start focusing on my emergency medicine training. Since my first year will (hopefully)be in Internal Medicine and then another three years will be spent in Emergency Medicine, it will be four years from now before I am completely through with my training. (So, for anyone keeping track. I spent four years re-taking my undergraduate/pre-med classes, four years in med school, and now I only have four more years to go.)

As I said, right now we are in a kind of limbo. Were just waiting to see what develops and where we are going to move to. Regardless if we stay in Jackson or move elsewhere, at least DGA and KT will be with me. (And CC, if she wants to leave North Carolina ;)

JANUARY

January was a fantastic month for me. For one thing, I had an opportunity to do a research project in emergency medicine with Dr. Summers. However, I was also able to spend a lot of time with my family. As a matter of fact, this was the most time I have spent with DGA and KT since the summer between my first and second year of med school. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was a dad and husband again. When KT was sick, I was the one who picked her up from school. When DGA had to work late, I was able to help out around the house. Anyway, as soon as I find out where I match for my residency, we can start making plans to be together again. Living apart for four years has been a lot more stressful than I think any of us imagined. As of now, DGA can't even start looking for another job since we don't know which town we will be in. Of course, we are hoping to stay in Jackson (Ridgeland actually.) Anyway, we will find out on March 20. I'll try and keep everyone up to date.

Now, onto my research project. Last year when I was rotating at the VA hospital, I was reprimanded for bringing my cell phone into the hospital. Later, one of the federal police officers working at the VA gave the wife of one of my patients a written warning for using her cell phone within the hospital. This bothered me since I know the electromagnetic (radio) waves a cell phone produces go in a straight line from the cell phone to the closest cell phone tower. The radio waves do not go around a building. They go through the building. To satisfy my theory, I brought my scanner to the hospital the next time I was on call. I was correct, I was able to pick up cell phone conversations on my scanner.

So, when Dr. Summers asked me if I had any ideas for a research project I told him I wanted to prove that cell phones did not hamper our ability to monitor patients in the emergency department. After all, a portable cell phone only puts out 0.6 watts of power and the walkie-talkies that the Fire Department, E.M.S., and Police Departments use can put out up to 5.0 watts of power. The ambulances that I use
to work out of had a 100 watt amplifier in them. Also, the maintenance guys at U.M.C. go all over the hospital using their walkie-talkies.

Personally, I think it is important to allow limited use of cell phones in the ED. If someones mother, father, child, or other loved one is involved in an accident, then someone is going to be trying to find out the patients condition and pass on the information to others. To not allow someone to use their cell phone and to force them to share a single pay phone with a room full of people in the waiting room only adds more stress to a stressful situation.

So, Dr. Summers gave me an idea on how to go about proving or disproving my hypothesis. First, I did a literature search to find out what research had already been done on cell phone use within the hospital. I found out that most of the research that showed cell phones interfering with medical devices was done in the mid- to late-nineties. I also discovered that some of the papers showing interference was based on the cell phones being operated within very close proximity or even touching the medical device being interfered with. Of course, technology improves so quickly, I figured that the cell phones developed today were less likely to cause interference. Then I found where the Federal Drug Administration had developed a test method in late 2000 for cell phone companies to use to ensure cell phones do not interfere with the pacemakers or implanted defibrillators that some people have. So, it seems that my thoughts about cell phone technology improving seems to be correct.

Next, I found a website that list every wireless antenna within the Jackson area. There are 55 antennas registered with the FCC within the Jackson area. Four antennas are within two miles of U.M.C. Of course, all of the antennas are not cell phone antennas. Some are for police, fire, and businesses like radio and television. My next step was to prove that the emergency department was already being saturated with radio waves. So, I set up my scanner at different points and at different times within the emergency department and made a list of the different cell phone frequencies I was able to pick up. The most surprising discovery was when I set up my scanner in a supply closet that was located in the center of the department and directly behind the x-ray department. Since, the x-ray department has to have shielded walls, I really didn't think I would be able to receive very many frequencies. Instead, that was the location I picked up the second most number of frequencies. Granted, the conversations werent all crystal clear but, I was still able to make out the conversations. (Oh, BTW, I was only able to listen to cell phone conversations made on older analog phones. The newer digital phones transmit using 1's and 0's and each is transmitted on a different frequency. I was able to hear the pulse burst of sound but, without a decoder, I could not listen to the conversations made on a digital phone.) Therefore, I believe I was able to show that the emergency department is heavily saturated with radio waves.

However, showing that the emergency department is saturated with radio waves also posed a new problem. What if someone using a high power radio was using their radio outside and caused interference with my tests? So, to keep the potential interference to a minimum, I conducted my experiment between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. I had an EKG simulator hooked up to the EKG monitor in Trauma room 2. It happened to work out that there was a patient on each side in Trauma rooms 1 and 3 who were also on an EKG monitor. I used 3 different phones while standing beside the bed in Trauma 2, outside the door of Trauma 2 and standing by the monitors at the nurses stations. I printed out EKG strips for each location with the phones turned on and with them turned off. I also printed EKG strips while a police officer used his radio while standing in the hallway. I then mixed up the EKG strips and asked different attendings, residents, nurses, flight medics, and an ACLS instructor if they could detect any interference caused by the cell phones. There were a few EKGs that were questioned by a few however, the overwhelming majority agreed that they could not tell of any interference caused by the cell phones.

Granted there are some deficiencies in my study. I could not test every cell phone in use. There are different EKG monitors besides the ones used at UMC. Sprint PCS and Nextel transmit on different frequencies than the other cell phone companies and I did not use a phone from either Sprint or Nextel.

As I said, January was a great month for me. I enjoyed spending time with my family. However, I also enjoyed the opportunity to test a hypothesis that I had been thinking about. Who knows, maybe I'll have this or another research project published one day.

Wireless Towers in the Jackson Area

FEBRUARY

I spent the month of February doing Internal Medicine (a.k.a. as "Medicine") at UMC. The difference between Internal Medicine and Family Medicine is that the Family Medicine physician is trained to care for the entire family. In other words, the Family Medicine physician is trained to: deliver babies; take care of infants and children; offer guidance and care during the adolescent years; offer Ob/Gyn care; and to care for adults as they age. Internal Medicine is "adult medicine." In other words, no babies, no children, and no Ob/Gyn. The Internal Medicine physicians spend three years focused on the diseases of adults. Also, the specialists in adult medicine (Cardiology, Nephrology, Hematolgy, etc.) do an Internal Medicine residency first and then they do additional focus training in whatever field they are going to specialize in.

So, what is the difference between an Internist and an Intern? An Internist is someone who specializes in Internal Medicine. An Intern is someone who has just graduated from med school and is not eligible to take Step 3, which is the final test that has to be taken to be a fully licensed physician. So, even though I will graduate from med school in May, I will be known as an Intern for the first year of my residency. I will not have a state license and I will not have a D.E.A. number (i.e., I will not be able to write prescriptions for narcotics.)

Now for how my month went. SUPER! First of all, the Medicine service is responsible for the patients admitted to the hospital with a medical problem (i.e., not surgical) and UMC admits some really sick patients. Since so many physicians have left the state, the number of transfers to UMC has really increased. I had an opportunity to help take care of some really sick patients. For example, we had patients with severe diabetic ketoacidosis, chronic pancreatitis, COPD exacerbation, worsening of congestive heart failure, sickle cell pain crisis, really bad infections, and many other problems.

Another reason the month was a good month was because I had the opportunity to act like an Intern without all of the responsibilities of an Intern. Granted, my months doing emergency medicine (adult and peds) allowed me to work as a resident, this month was different. In the emergency departments, there is always an attending (a faculty member who is board certified within a certain field) present. So, it is really neat if something bad happens because you have a "safety net" always close by. However, in Internal Medicine the attending is usually present only during the mornings. There are always senior residents around to help out if you get in a bind but, they are busy taking care of their own responsibilities. So, you are put in a position where you are really acting on your on. Okay, not really. Since a fourth year medicine student can not sign orders you are really limited in what you can do by yourself. But, you still have a lot of autonomy, which gives you the feeling that you are "a doctor."

The final reason the month was awesome was because I was with two of the most efficient, well organized, motivated, and knowledgeable residents I have every worked with. Michael acted with the confidence of someone that has already graduated and has been practicing medicine for years. His ability to "get things done" was truly impressive. Josh was also inspiring. He certainly did not act like an Intern who been a doctor for only six months. It was amazing how much information he could recall on each patient. I was having a hard time keeping up with which test had or had not been done and what the results of each test were. He certainly set a high standard for me to attempt to emulate during my intern year.

All in all, a super month and because of America's aging population (with their multiple medical problems), I have listed Internal Medicine as my first choice for my transition year at UMC. (UMC's Emergency Medicine program requires you to do a year of something else before you start your Emergency Medicine residency. In other words, they want you to finish the transition from being a student to being a doctor before you start your training.)

All of the interviews are finished. All of the programs have been ranked in order of preference. Now all we have to do is sit back and wait on Match Day to see where we will be.

MARCH

This month Im doing Family Medicine at Baptist Hospital. I'm basically doing the same thing I did last month but this time we have children on our list of patients also. However, the most important thing about this month is the fact that we will find out where I "Matched." I think I have mentioned before what the match is but, just in case I did not or, in case you do not remember let me explain the process again. Basically, all medical students do the same thing the first three years of med school. During your last year you get to customize your schedule so you can do rotations in the field you are hoping to specialize in.

Applying for residency is just like applying for med school. You send out applications, you interview, and then you turn in a list ranking your preference of every place you interviewed. Each residency program ranks everyone they have interviewed and they turn in their list. The lists are matched up and almost all senior medical students (some programs matched early) find out where they are going. Residency is the "on the job training" you get to help you hone your talents and amass the knowledge you need for your chosen specialty.

So, from day one, all of my residents and attendings have been forced to listen to me count down the days to Match Day. Speaking of residents, the Family Medicine residents are, in general, some of the happiest residents I have worked with. Since Family Medicine is so broad and covers so much, their residents really have the opportunity to practice medicine in a number of ways. Some will go into a traditional clinic setting where they will round on their patients who are admitted to the hospital. Other will be content to working strictly Monday through Friday in a clinic without having to pull call at night or working on the weekends. Of course, there will be others, like my senior resident this month, who will work in the emergency department. I have pretty much decided that if I do not match into emergency medicine, I will probably do a family medicine residency so I can work in the emergency department.

MATCH DAY

Well, for me, Match Day actually started three days early. The Monday before Match, any student who did not match to a program they had listed would be notified that they have to "scramble." The scramble is exactly what it sounds like. If you really want to do a particular specialty, and you do not match into that specialty, then you will have to get a list showing which programs have vacancies. You then have to find a program that will take you before their remaining vacancies are filled. The Monday before Match, I could not take the suspense any longer. I logged onto the website and saw, "Congratulations, you have matched. I still did not know where I had matched. However, I knew I had matched in emergency medicine which was a relief. For the last few years, there have only been single digit vacancies in emergency medicine after the match. So, I was glad I did not have to try and locate a program elsewhere.

Now the only question that remained was, "Where will I be?" We were all hoping for UMC but, we would have to wait until Match Day to find out. So, Thursday morning my classmates and our family and friends gathered in the Student Union to nervously wait on our names to be called. Of course, there were the mandatory speeches by various people congratulating us. Dr. Turner reported that 85% of the class got their first or second choice. 48% of my class will stay in Jackson with the remaining 52% doing their residency elsewhere. My classmates will be doing residency programs in 28 states as far away as California and Massachusetts. All of this was interesting and nice however, I'm thinking, "Lets go! I want to find out."

We finally got started and our names were randomly called out. As each person had their name called, they deposited $5.00 into a black leather "doctor's bag" the bookstore had donated. The person who had their name called last got the "bag of money." The bookstore had also donated other prizes. For example, the person who will move the farthest away got a tee shirt with UMC's name on it. I was trying to keep from being too nervous by listing where my classmates were going. All of a sudden, my name is called out. As I'm walking to the microphone to announce where I will do my residency I'm scanning the paper for the results. My heart leaps to my throat as I read those magic words, Emergency Medicine - University of Mississippi Medical Center - Jackson, Mississippi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes! DGA, KT, and I will be in Jackson for at least the next four years. This is absolutely the best thing that could happen for us. I have no doubt I will receive fantastic training in emergency medicine. We will be close enough that we can go home to visit on the weekends, even if it's for only a day. (DGA and KT can go home even if I'm on call or working on the weekend.) Also, I doubt if KT is going to want to change schools in the 11th grade (the grade she will be in when I finish my residency). So, being in Jackson will allow KT to graduate from a local school and still allow her family and friends from home to participate in her graduation. DGA had to technically resign from her job so they could fill her position and have someone trained before she left. DGA has not however, been able to send her resume out since she did not know where we would be. The most important thing, is that DGA, KT, and I can finally start making some definite plans for us to live in the same house again. It has been a lot more stressful living apart for four years than I think any of us imagined.

More Match Day Info

MEDICAL STUDENTS FIND THEIR 'MATCH' AT CEREMONY

Match Day 2003
During a Match Day 2003 program steeped in tradition, the Medical Centers 101 senior medical students discovered where they would go for their specialty training.

The students matched to 20 different specialties: 58 percent matched in a primary care specialty; 48 percent will be staying in Mississippi, while 52 percent will be going to residency programs in 21 other states.

Students matched to specialties "as diverse as anethesiology to urology," said Dr. Helen R. Turner, associate dean for academic affairs and associate professor or medicine.

"You are certainly a diverse class with diverse interests and career goals," she said before the match results were revealed. "Wherever you go, you will always be a part of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. We are proud of you, we wish you the best, and we know you will represent this institution to the best of your ability."

While addressing a Match Day audience for the last time as associate vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, Dr. Wallace Conerly said he felt a particular attachment to the Class of 2003.

"It's been a delight to have all of you here these last four years," said Conerly, who will retire June 30. "This being my last class to graduate, you are really special to me.

"I congratulate you on wherever you are going to go."

The match, conducted annually by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), is the primary system that matches applicants to residency programs with available positions at teaching hospitals across the country. According to the NRMP, 14,332 medical school seniors participated in the 2003 match, of which 93 percent were successfully matched to an open position in a participating residency program.

Historically, at least 85 percent of seniors at UMC match with their first or second choices.

UMC's match results were revealed at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 20 in the second-floor conference rooms of the Norman C. Nelson Student Union. As Turner announced the names of each medical school senior in random order, the class members walked to the front of the auditorium, placed five dollars into a medical bag, tore open the envelope that contained their matches, announced their matches to the audience, and stuck colored pins into a large map to indicate their residency destinations. The last student's name to be called - Marc Roy Lewin - received the medical bag full of money.

Turner challenged the students to realize that, although their medical education will continue with their newly announced residencies, they will always be in a position to learn.

"As a physician, your education will never end," she said. "You must make a commitment to lifelong learning."

"As a group, you have studied together, had fun together and shared life-changing experiences. Through it all, you have made lifelong friends."

In his closing remarks, Conerly urged the Class of 2003 to always remember two things.

"Leave the woodpile a little larger than you found it," he said. "And you've been taught how, so please do deliver quality health care in a quality manner."

Bruce Coleman (3/31/03)

CEREMONY ONE OF MANY 'ADVENTURES' FOR O'SULLIVANS

Match Day 2003
For most medical students, Match Day is an unforgettable exercise that ultimately determines not only the course of their medical training, but their careers as well.

For Patrick Sean of Pascagougla and Jennifer Dance O'Sullivan, of Jackson, who each matched at UMC, the ceremony is just another in two lifetimes of adventures.

Sean entered medical school to administer health care in the jungles of Asia; Jennifer to practice medicine in the heart of Africa. The couple met one day in gross anatomy. One thing led to another, and the pair married during their third year of medical school.

Now they are expecting their first child, a blessed event that had a profound impact on their residency decisions. Sean chose family medicine and Jennifer selected pediatrics, primarily because "they are very family friendly residencies," Jennifer said.

"Neither residency staff dissuades you from having children, and they are very understanding," Patrick explained. "We know the hospital, the floors, the computer system. If you want to do primary care, the challenges and the training are comparatively the same here at UMC as anywhere else."

Then he offered an even more practical incentive: "Jennifer knew she didn't want to do surgery - she didn't want to stand up on her feet for hours on end."

The ceremony of Match Day was embraced by the O'Sullivans, whose commitment to tradition may be best exemplified by their absolute refusal to learn the sex of their child before it is born.

"You usually find out through an ultrasound at 20 weeks," Sean said. "We were in there for about an hour, and I began to think we might as well find out. But Jennifer said 'No.'"

Once they've completed their residency training, the O'Sullivans can only hope their decision on where to practice will be so cut and dried.

"During the interview process, we had to find out if the residency programs were open for us to do something overseas," Jennifer said. "Fortunately for us, both programs at UMC were.

"We have a lot of classmates who have already said they would be willing to come and arrange medical procedures for us, so we look forward to the challenge - whether it be Africa, Asia or someplace else."

Bruce Coleman (3/31/03)

TUMU'S MATCH TWO TIME ZONES AWAY AT UCSF-EAST BAY

Match Day 2003
Phani Madhav Tumu is the early favorite to lead the UMC Class of 2003 in frequent flier miles.

He earned that distinction when he matched with the preliminary surgery program at the University of California at San Francisco-East Bay - the furthest destination of Match Day 2003 participants.

Tumu said he has no reservations about leaving his parents in nearby Madison to continue his medical education two time zones away. He has cousins in the San Francisco area. Although UCSF-East Bay wasn't his primary choice Tumu had no real preference among the institutions he had listed for the match, he said the challenge of adapting to a new environment for his residency is appealing.

"Mississippi is a slightly conservative state, and California is not exactly Republican," Tumu laughed. "But San Francisco is a great place, and so many people want to live there.

"It's a great opportunity for me to go out to California and represent the state of Mississippi."

To help him do that, Match Day sponsors presented Tumu a T-shirt adorned with his home state - a little lagniappe for having to go so far for his residency. But Tumu credits the education he received at UMC for paving the way for his residency "Gold Rush."

"I actually feel very well prepared for this challenge," he said. "Residents and attending physicians allow you to do so many things during your medical school training here, that when you go to other places, your skills stick out."

So when the California lifestyle becomes second nature to Tumu, will he be in danger of forgetting all about the Magnolia state?

"Match Day is somewhat of a tradition that brings closure," he said, "but I haven't ruled out coming back to Mississippi to practice."

Bruce Coleman (3/31/03)

NEW MARRIAGE FIRM FOUNDATION FOR BIBB AT MATCH DAY

Match Day 2003
The home stretch of a medical school education specialty interviews and other demands may not seem to be the best time to be a newlywed, but Kimberly Anderson Bibb's new marital status only enhanced her enjoyment of Match Day 2003.

Bibb's new husband, Chaddrick, celebrated along with his new in-laws when his bride announced she had matched with her first choice, the family medicine program at the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Huntsville.

"The main thing that attracted me to that institution is that it is a university-affiliated with a community-based setting," Bibb said. "Family medicine is the only program in that setting, so I'll be able to work with different specialties one-on-one."

The couple also is pleased with the institution's location.

"It's only about five hours away from home," Bibb said. "Whenever I get homesick, I won't have too far to go - both of our families are from Jackson."

Family ties are strengthened by personal milestones like Match Day, which not only determines the next phase of a medical student's education, but also marks the accomplishment of a medical degree. Although Bibb enjoyed taking part in the tradition of the ceremony, she suggested one aspect of Match Day she'd like to see altered a bit.

"It's kind of stressful opening up the envelope and announcing your match to the entire crowd of students, faculty and family members," Bibb explained. "I would have preferred to open my letter individually with my family first, then come to Match Day and announce it.

"But overall, I was well pleased with everything, and I thought the ceremony went very well."

Keeping an eye on the future, Bibb took time from the ceremony to anticipate the day she may return to Mississippi - not to study, but to practice.

"I'm strongly considering coming back," she said. "This is my home, and I have a strong need to help provide citizens of this state with quality health care.

"The training I received at UMC was excellent. My experience here is something I wouldn't have received elsewhere, and I feel very competent and able to go into this residency and achieve my career goals."

Bruce Coleman (3/31/03)