The pink of redbuds, the purple of crocuses, the white of Bradford pears, the yellow of daffodils, the “ahh choo” of sneezing. Durham is alive with spring and that means “March Madness.” No, I don’t mean basketball. It is the annual spring ritual of Match Day.
I don’t think I ever thought the significance of the timing as representative of change and refreshing the troops, as it were. Our third-year residents are well on their way with their post-graduation launch into the real world. They are looking at or joining innovative practices that will allow them to use the population health skills they honed.
The first-years are past the “deer in the headlights” of the first six months of residency and are showing their true spirit as doctors, movers and shakers. Education chief, Vanessa Solomon, DO, will have a worthy successor in Sam Fam, DO.
And the second-year team has provided a new chief-in-waiting, Tiffany Covas, M.D., MPH, who prepares to gather the baton from Joshua Lancaster, M.D. I remember when Lance Lange and I were co-chief residents and the mixed blessing of the role; it is an honor and a challenge.
The second-year residents have also selected their population health projects and many have been active in Raleigh trying to promote awareness of the needs of our population.
It is Match Day
Match Day is one of those events in yo ur life that you never forget. Once the nail-biting is over, the reality of big changes coming sinks in but first, there is a party. I remember the celebration after our class met for “the envelope please.” The rest of the day and most of the evening was celebration time. I can close my eyes now and relive it in my mind. Here I am, 41 years later, and Match Day is still exciting.
Today, we revealed who is joining our ranks. The faculty and staff are breathing a sigh of relief in avoiding the SOAP, formerly known as the “scramble.” After interviewing over 60 candidates, we matched five.
Yes, the March Madness is upon us. Let the games begin.
Joyce Copeland is core faculty in the Duke Family Medicine Residency Program. Contact her at joyce.copeland@dm.duke.edu.
Editor’s note: A member of the Duke Family Medicine Residency Program leadership team guest blogs every month.