Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine faculty and staff gathered with members of the inaugural class of medical students (CUSOM 2017) today to celebrate with those who participated in the American Osteopathic Association’s residency match. The soon to be Campbell physicians learned where they will continue their medical training in residency.
Students returned to campus from the five regional clinical campuses throughout North Carolina where they have completed their 3rd and 4th years of medical school in clinical rotations at Campbell affiliate hospitals:
- Region 1: Lumberton Regional Campus: Southeastern Health in Robeson County.
- Region 2: Fayetteville Regional Campus: Cape Fear Valley Health in Cumberland County.
- Region 3a: Wake Regional Campus: Wake Med Health and Hospitals in Wake County.
- Region 3b: Harnett Regional Campus: Harnett Health in Harnett County.
- Region 4: Charlotte Regional Campus: Novant Health in Rowan & Mecklenburg Counties.
- Region 5: Goldsboro Regional Campus: Wayne Memorial Hospital and Sampson Regional Medical Center in Sampson & Wayne Counties.
The celebration featured display of a map indicating the hospitals from Hawaii to New York where the Campbell medical students will continue their medical education following graduation on May 20th, 2017. Dr. John M. Kauffman, Jr., dean of the medical school, and Dr. Jerry M. Wallace, chancellor of Campbell University congratulated the students at the celebratory reception.
“This is another really big day in the Creek; another milestone on your journey to becoming a physician,” said Dr. Kauffman. “How exciting! Sixty-seven of you matched today in addition to the 10 who matched through the military in December. We look forward to celebrating with the remainder of your classmates in the National Residency Match Program on March 3, 2017.”
Dr. Jerry M. Wallace led the room full of attendees in a standing ovation for Dr. Kauffman.
“Dr. Kauffman’s leadership and hard work have made this day,” said Dr. Wallace.
“The establishment of this school is one of the high water marks of Campbell University. We are here because you are founders and you believed in us. This is a family affair shared by supporters across this nation and across the world – they seized this opportunity to make this journey with you.”
The residency match results represent the medical school’s mission in action – training the next generation of physicians for rural and underserved communities in North Carolina and across the United States.
“I am from upstate New York originally, but I have grown to call Fayetteville, North Carolina my home over the past couple of years,” said Rachel Dellehunt. “I have loved caring for and learning from the Fayetteville community during my time at Cape Fear Valley Health (CFVH) as a medical student. Residency at CFVH presents a unique opportunity to practice at a large, community based hospital with a diverse, rural population and many of the advanced technologies that larger academic hospitals provide. The commitment of the physicians, and healthcare providers to passionately care for patients and educate students was very appealing to me during my search for residency programs. I am very excited to start my General Surgery Residency at CFVH in a few short months and begin to give back to the community that I now call home.”
“The best is yet to be for you and the people you will serve in bringing healthcare – not commodity care – healthcare to the people of this nation. I want a Campbell University physician to become my physician…we love you and pray for you. God bless you all.”
About Medical School and Residency:
Residency is the phase of three to five years of training where physicians refine their skills in specific area of practice – family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, etc. – and, upon successful completion, become fully licensed physicians. Students apply to residency by interviewing with various residencies during their 4th year of medical school and submit a rank list to a national database. In the spring prior to graduating from medical school, the application process is completed with what is called ‘the match’.