Just a few days ago, I had the privilege of participating in Match Day, the day where I found out where I will train for the next 3 years. If you haven’t followed my previous posts, the long and short of it is that “matching” is a process by which medical student applicants are connected to a residency program where they will train for the next several years. It is a nerve wracking process for sure, but an exciting one all the same. Last Monday at exactly 10am, I got one of the best emails I have ever received. “Congratulations, you have matched!” was the majority of the body of the email, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I MATCHED! I’M GOING TO BE A RESIDENT! Then came “Match Day” on Friday. I went to a ceremony at my school with 175 of my classmates, where we opened our envelopes to find out where each of us would be moving. You could feel the electric energy in the room as we counted down together, and finally the moment had come…

Friends, I did it. I matched at my first choice residency program!! I will be continuing my next 3 years of medical training as a pediatrics resident. Unfolding that piece of paper and seeing those words brought an avalanche of emotion upon me, especially given the hard road that I had taken to get there. I was shocked, I was thrilled, I was SO proud. I couldn’t help but scream. We proceeded to go up on stage one by one to announce where we matched, and it was so gratifying to see my classmates so full of joy. Even people I hadn’t talked to in a while came up to congratulate me, and it was very much appreciated and reciprocated.

So yes, it took me five years to graduate from medical school. But you know what? It doesn’t matter. My career will be long; my success will be well-earned. Sometimes, life happens, and things don’t go the way you expect them to. That’s okay. I had the best support system I could have asked for, and I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to prove myself as a future physician. Sometimes I find myself saying “I was lucky enough to..” but really, it has nothing to do with luck. I got where I am today because of hard work and faith, both mine and that of everyone who had faith in me when I didn’t believe in myself. This is nowhere near the end of my journey, but I want to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone who has helped me get this far.

Thank you to my family, for being the rock solid foundation I stood on, and the safety net when I fell. My parents would move mountains for me; my sisters were tireless cheerleaders. I appreciate the “congrats on acing your test today” texts I got from aunts, uncles and cousins for each of my little successes. I know there were infinite prayers from my grandparents, and I am grateful for every one.

Thank you to my friends, for never wavering when I needed to lean on you. For talking sense into me when I called in tears saying “I forgot how to study,” and then taking me out when I inevitably passed my exams. You reminded me that I had to have a life outside of medicine to maintain my sanity, and then gave me the opportunity to build that life.

Thank you to my professors, who bent over backwards for me even though I was failing most of your classes. You were understanding and patient, and I was offered a leave of absence instead of dismissal because you believed that I could make it as a doctor.

Thank you to my classmates, who welcomed me with open arms when I started my first year over again. I was able to ask you for help when I needed it, and I hope I was able to help you when you asked what to expect. I am so proud of you all and I wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Finally, thank you to all of my readers here. You make writing this blog worthwhile, and I am so glad that my thoughts and experiences have struck a chord with you, or at least made you smile. I love hearing from you, whether or not we talk regularly. I appreciate each and every one of you, and I hope you continue to follow this journey to Dr. Nikki as I move forward.