The wait is over (for some): College of Medicine scores record six early residency matches

On what’s known as Match Day, medical students from across the country find out where they’ll spend their residencies. This year, the annual tradition will be held on March 20. Until then, for most students it will be a nerve-wracking wait to tear open that envelope and  learn their fate. But a record six students from the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine already know what the future holds for them. They are “early matches” – either because they’re in the military, which determines its matches in December, or because they decided to specialize in ophthalmology, and those matches are announced in January.

This year’s early matches include the HWCOM’s first female military match, Kathryn (Taylor) Myers, who is also one of the College’s first Air Force matches, and the first Army matches. Previous military matches have been in the Navy. The early matches also include two students accepted into residency programs in the very competitive field of ophthalmology.

Meet the first six matches for 2015:

Peter Belin on mission trip to Haiti. He matched in ophthalmology.

Peter Belin
Age: 31
Hometown: Youngstown, NY
Residency Match: Hofstra Northshore/LIJ, Hempstead, NY – ophthalmology

Why opthalmology? It’s a great specialty involving both surgery and medicine. It is a technologically advanced and precise field with strong a foundation in the basic sciences. Moreover, I find it exciting to care for arguably the most important of the senses – vision.

A personal memory of HWCOM: Some of my best memories and lasting friendships came from the medical mission trip to Jamaica in the summer of 2012.

Kathryn (Taylor) Myers is the HWCOM’s first female military match.

Kathryn (Taylor) Myers
U.S. Air Force 2LT
Age: 26
Hometown: Sanford, FL

Residency Match: San Antonio Military Medical Center, San Antonio, TX; psychiatry

Why Psychiatry? The field of psychiatry is full of excitement and wonder. It best encompasses the biopsychosocial model of health care and is filled with many opportunities for practitioners. It also, in many ways, embodies the core Air Force values of “integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.” For these reasons, as an American Airman and future physician, I am thrilled for the chance to start the journey that will provide me with the opportunities and training to join others on their journeys in a capacity to help reduce suffering.

A personal memory of HWCOM: The curriculum at HWCOM has provided me with a wider knowledge base for patient care that extends beyond just the medical. With the Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP™ program, I’ve been exposed to the social aspects of medicine in ways that go beyond the classroom and allow for greater application with future patients. The various research courses found in the curriculum, including the 2 months of required research in the 4th year have provided a deeper understanding into the need for evidenced-based medicine in future practice. In fact, the school’s underlying focus on research is done so well that during our presentation of our research for the 4th year research course, a visitor who works in epidemiology complimented my partner and I on our project saying it was practically at the level of work of a master’s student in epidemiology.
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Robb Guido matched in Preventive Medicine

Robb Guido
U.S. Army 2LT
Age: 37
Hometown: Tampa, FL
Residency Match: Walter Reed Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD; preventive medicine

Why Preventive Medicine? The field of preventive medicine offers me an opportunity to help people and the government save on the enormous physical, mental and monetary cost of illness.

A personal memory of HWCOM: Participating in our art show fundraiser for mammograms for underserved women in Miami ignited my interest to work for people at risk for other potential maladies. Also, the profusion of overweight and obese patients that we saw as patients on a daily basis inspired me to seek a way to help these otherwise healthy people avoid the fate of more serious illnesses like diabetes and heart disease.

Shane Barney, center, and friends working with NeighborhoodHELP™. He matched in Urology.

Shane Barney
U.S. Army 2LT
Age: 28
Hometown: Grand Junction, CO
Residency Match: Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX; intern year in general surgery
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX; Urology (4 years)

Why Urology? There’s a diverse variety of urological diseases, and many of them are very treatable. Consequently, you can really improve the patients’ quality of life and receive satisfaction in your work.

A Personal memory of HWCOM:
I feel that there are many mentors and faculty that have true interest in helping me fulfill my goals as a future physician at HWCOM. This has inspired me to do the same when I’m finished with my training.

Michael “Mickey” Skaret matched in Internal Medicine

Michael “Mickey” Skaret
U.S. Navy ENS
Age: 27
Hometown: Orange Park, FL
Residency Match: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD; Internal Medicine

Why internal medicine? I enjoy the variety of people and medical problems that internal medicine offers. I’m later hoping to sub-specialize in gastroenterology.

A personal memory of HWCOM: The College gave me the kind of hands-on medical education that I needed to develop who I will be as a physician. Without the guidance of the excellent faculty I’ve worked with, I might not be where I am now.

Michelle Abou-Jaoude matched in ophthalmology.

Ophthalmology

Michelle Abou-Jaoude
Age: 25
Hometown: Winter Springs, FL
Residency Match: University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY; ophthalmology

Why ophthalmology? I’ve always been interested in ophthalmology, and vision. It’s a great mix of surgery and medicine, with a lot of interesting basic science and clinical research going on. There’s also a lot of opportunity to really improve quality of life through vision, and it’s just a great specialty!

A personal memory of HWCOM: Probably working on the Mammography Art Initiative to fund mammograms for needy women. Working with my classmates to address an evidence-based problem in the community, and tackling to get all the different obstacles was no doubt challenging. However, we worked well together, put together a great event that has continued every year, achieved measurable results, and had a lot of fun doing it. I think that experience embodied the camaraderie and community spirit that FIU HWCOM has worked to engender and encourage.