Senior medical students in the graduating Class of 2004 at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine were given results from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) on Thursday, March 18, at the same time other U.S. medical students learned their matches to postgraduate training programs. Sixty-eight seniors secured positions through the match.

Thirteen SIU seniors (19%) selected internal medicine residencies and another 13 selected pediatrics. Six medical students (8.8%) each chose family practice, emergency medicine and obstetrics/gynecology. New physicians begin their residency training in July 2004.

"Again this year, SIU medical students matched with some of the most competitive programs in the country, not only here in the Midwest but with those on both the East and West coasts," said Dr. J. Kevin Dorsey, dean and provost. "We train excellent physicians and residency program directors regularly tell us that we send them competent and caring graduates."

Other match results are five students (7.3%) matched in general surgery, four (5.8%) in radiology and three (4.4%) in anesthesiology. Two students (2.9%) each selected plastic surgery, orthopaedic surgery and otolaryngology. One student each matched in dermatology, neurology, ophthalmology, physical medicine/rehabilitation, preliminary medicine and preliminary surgery.

Thirty-two seniors (47%) will be training in primary care specialties of family practice, internal medicine and pediatrics. If the six student matches in obstetrics/gynecology are included, the total rises to 55.8%.

SIU and its affiliated hospitals in Springfield and Quincy attracted 13 SIU graduates (19%) for residency training. Another 13 students picked other Illinois programs and 23 others (33.8%) selected Midwest programs, making a total of 49 students (72%) that will begin training in the Midwest. The Class of 2004 will graduate May 22.

Match results also were announced Thursday for SIU's residency programs in Springfield, based at the School's two affiliated hospitals -- Memorial Medical Center and St. John's Hospital. Fifty-five starting positions in Springfield were filled. The first-year residents will join 139 senior residents and fellows already in training at SIU programs in Springfield.

Twenty-seven first-year positions were filled in primary care programs -- family practice (6), general internal medicine (12), general pediatrics (6), and obstetrics/ gynecology (3). Eleven positions were filled in the five surgical programs -- general surgery (3), plastic surgery (2), orthopaedic surgery (3), otolaryngology (2), and urology (1). Seventeen positions were filled in dermatology (2), medicine-psychiatry combined (2), neurology (1), psychiatry (3), preliminary medicine (5), and radiology (4).

"The new residents that SIU and its two affiliated teaching hospitals, Memorial Medical Center and St. John's Hospital, have attracted will help us fulfill our mandate to meet the health care needs of the people of downstate Illinois. We are pleased to welcome such a strong class of residents in our primary care and specialty residency programs," said Dr. Karen Broquet, associate dean for graduate medical education at the medical school.

SIU also has affiliated family practice residency programs in Carbondale, Decatur and Quincy, each three years in length. Seventeen first-year positions have been filled for next year through the NRMP match and a similar program held last month for osteopath physicians. These residents will join 35 senior family practice residents at SIU's affiliated hospitals -- Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Decatur Memorial and St. Mary's Hospitals in Decatur, and Blessing Hospital in Quincy.

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NOTE: The National Resident Matching Program no longer provides what percentage of medical students received their first, second or third choice of programs.