Medical students match early in competitive programs

Medical students at the USA College of Medicine have matched in competitive early match programs in ophthalmology and urology.

The majority of medical students participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) to find out where they will undergo residency training following graduation. Students who wish to match in ophthalmology and urology participate in a specialty match program that takes place months earlier.

Nationwide, 677 applicants participated in this year’s ophthalmology match, filling 498 positions. Meanwhile, 481 applicants participated in the urology match, with 357 residency positions filled.

Lauren "Lexie" Gibson

Lauren “Lexie” Gibson of Eufaula, Alabama, matched into the ophthalmology program at Emory University. Gibson said she developed an interest in ophthalmology while learning about lens refraction at Auburn University, where she graduated in biomedical sciences. 

“This initial interest was fostered during medical school by shadowing local physicians in both the clinic and the operating room, where I immediately was fascinated by the field of ophthalmology,” Gibson said. “From seeing patients in clinic, performing in-office procedures and managing patients’ conditions with medications to the complex surgeries in the OR, ophthalmology was the perfect specialty for me.”

Gibson, who will be the first physician in her family, said she is grateful to the USA College of Medicine faculty and staff, ophthalmologists at Premier Medical Group, Vision Partners and Alan Franklin, M.D., for providing her with experiences that led her to choose ophthalmology.

Stuart McFarland

Stuart McFarland of Madison, Alabama, matched in ophthalmology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. He said he looks forward to caring for and improving the vision of his future patients. “I appreciate how important vision is to each person, and I love how impactful the field of ophthalmology can be on a patient’s quality of life,” he said.

McFarland, who will be the first physician in his family, said his interest in ophthalmology was sparked during a clinical rotation with a neurology resident who will train in a neuro-ophthalmology fellowship next year. “Following that spark, it was the shadowing work with the ophthalmologists at Premier Medical and Vision Partners that sealed my love of the field,” he said.

Alexis “Lexie” Kentros of Birmingham matched in urology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where she will be the first female resident to train in the program.

Alexis "Lexie" Kentros

“I can’t wait for the opportunity to learn even more about my field as I begin to make clinical decisions on my own,” Kentros said. “I am particularly excited to be joining UT Knoxville because of the teaching style and the camaraderie between residents.”

Kentros said she began narrowing down her residency intentions during her third year of medical school. “I knew I loved the operating room but couldn’t decide which specialty was for me,” she said. “It wasn’t until I did my urology elective that I realized it was a perfect fit. I loved the variety of pathology, the surgeries and the ability to become an expert in my field.”

Kentros said she also was drawn to the field’s focus on improving patients’ quality of life. “It is especially rewarding to see how happy patients are post-operatively,” she said.

Jordan Matthews Smith

The other medical student matching in urology was Jordan Matthews Smith, who will train at the University of Florida. Smith said she is most excited to be a resident at a renowned healthcare institution in a program that is nationally ranked.

“Urology encompasses everything I desire for my career: being on the cutting edge of surgical technology, having longitudinal relationships with my patients, and the opportunity to truly improve my patients’ quality of life,” she said. “Urologists are also known as very gregarious, upbeat surgeons, which I felt fit my personality well.”

Smith and Kentros said they are grateful for the operating room staff at USA Health University Hospital and the urologists at University Urology for supporting them on their educational journey.

The Fairhope native has rooted for the Florida Gators throughout her childhood because her mother is a UF graduate. “She was so excited when I broke the news to her and my dad,” Smith said. “Living in Gainesville and returning to ‘The Swamp’ will feel so familiar and bring back many great family memories.”

Most of the graduating class of 2021 will find out their residency matches at the USA College of Medicine’s Match Day ceremony on Friday, March 19, at the USA Student Center Ballroom. Students will attend in person, with family and friends watching the live-streamed event online because of social distancing restrictions caused by COVID-19.