March 16, 2007

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Eighty-four UC Davis School of Medicine students learned Thursday where in the United States they will be continuing their medical training over the next several years to become licensed to practice medicine in a particular specialty.

The placements are based on the computerized results of the National Resident Matching Program, which uses a computer algorithm to match the preferences of applicants with the preferences of residency program directors to fill the available training positions at U.S. teaching hospitals.

At UC Davis, the majority of students (88 percent) will remain in California for training. About 20 percent will remain at UC Davis Medical Center. Just under half chose residencies in primary care, which includes family practice, general pediatrics and internal medicine.

The most popular choices of training programs among UC Davis graduates were pediatrics (19.1 percent), internal medicine (17.9 percent) and general surgery (10.7 percent).

Ann Bonham, Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at UC Davis Health System, said, “These students have worked very hard and we are very proud of what they have accomplished. Our community and our society can expect great things from them, not only in terms of their knowledge, but in terms of their commitment to each patient in their care.”

Nationally, more than 15,000 medical school seniors applied for residency positions through the NRMP.