MIAMI (CBSMiami) – It was big day for medical students at Nova Southeastern University Friday, as they got their matches for residency.
This is NSU’s first-ever match day as the college was established four years ago.
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Joshua Raber matched with the University of Miami. It was his number one choice.
“We had to do what we could to really maximize our chances at this opportunity and make the best of it and I’m very proud of all my peers and classmates,” said Raber.
Friday was the moment these students have been working for the past four years.
“This is a huge immense pressure on all of us and it’s just a weight lifted off our shoulders, like I said this is something we’ve been working for, for four years and it’s finally led to this moment,” said Sydney Stillman, an NSU student on match day.
Dr. Johannes Vieweg the founding dean of the college of medicine says this school was established to offset the shortage of doctors.
“It’s getting worse to be honest with you because we have an aging population, we have a lot of new citizens coming into our state, and don’t underestimate COVID. The effect of covid on physicians was quite significant and many physicians in practice retired because of COVID,” said Dr. Johannes Vieweg.
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Research from the Florida Hospital Association predicts nearly an 18,000 Florida doctor shortage by 2035.
These students are hoping to make a dent in that number.
“That’s all that we can hope to do, right. I’ve just been so fortunate to go to medical school with so many future physicians and I’m so excited for everybody and all I can hope is that we are making a dent in the shortage,” said Stephanie Pearson, an NSU student on match day.
Dr. Vieweg says that all their students are placed into very competitive specialties and that the current shortage affects both primary and specialty care.
“Right now, we’re dealing with a crisis where if you want to go to endocrinologist you have to wait for 9 months. Can you imagine that? I mean if you’re a diabetic person needing an endocrinologist… to wait that long is just not acceptable,” said Dr. Vieweg.
The numbers from the Florida Hospital Association that predict over 36,000 doctors leaving by 2035 means that doctors would only be able to meet the needs of three-fourths of the state’s population.
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The school had a 100% match on Friday, with around 49 students graduating.
