Tulane medical students in the military all match into residency programs

There are eight military officers in the graduating class at Tulane University School of Medicine, and these students have something extra to celebrate this holiday season:  All of them matched into their first or second choice categorical residency programs, resulting in a 100% success rate!  

The Uniformed Services do not report match statistics like the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) does.  However, like the NRMP, categorical positions at military residency programs are extremely competitive and many students go unmatched every season.

“From talking to Tulane alumni in the Military Health System as well as those involved in graduate medical education at different military hospitals, Tulane has a reputation for producing hard-working and service-oriented physicians who work well on teams, which are essential traits for success as a military officer,” said Miles Bowers, MHA, ENS, MC, USN, a fourth-year Tulane student and Naval officer, who matched into diagnostic radiology at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Continuing to serve after medical school is a decision no student takes lightly because of the challenges and potential sacrifices that come with being in the military. Bowers decided to continue his career in the Navy as a physician because, he says, it was an opportunity to take care of some of the best patients in the world and spend more time in a community that he’s come to care about deeply.

“It was tough to be away from that community for four years in medical school, but we are fortunate to have such a large group of active duty and reserve physicians in the New Orleans area as well as Tulane alumni who have mentored us,” Bowers said. “We are also lucky to have supportive faculty and staff who understand and help accommodate the unique aspects of the application process, which takes place several months in advance of the civilian match.

The eight officers who matched are:

Wyatt Smith – (Army) Orthopedic surgery at San Antonio Military Medical Center

Eleanor Pratt – (Navy) General surgery at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth

Miles Bowers (Navy) Diagnostic radiology at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Cat Malone – (Air Force) Internal medicine at San Antonio Military Medical Center

Lindsey Sawczuk – (Navy) General surgery at Naval Medical Center San Diego

Lahaina White - (Army) Obstetrics and gynecology at Tripler Army Medical Center

Victoria Nguyen - (Air Force) Neurology at San Antonio Military Medical Center

James Marsh - (Army) Internal medicine at San Antonio Military Medical Center