MOREHEAD, Ky. (LEX 18) — Excitement was in the air as students opened their white envelopes, which contained their futures. Students in the University of Kentucky’s Rural Physician Leadership Program celebrated Match Day. They learned where they’ll be taking the next steps in their careers.
For some, it was a really happy moment, and for others, it was emotional. For fourth-year student Christine Sharrer, the moment was delayed.
She says, "I just got to sit there for an extra minute and wait, which it was worth it."
Sharrer waited to video call her fiancé to open their letters together. He's in medical school in Arizona. They've been long distance for the last five years.
"We've been doing long-distance for so long, we love each other, he's my life partner, but it was really scary to think that the barrier of us both wanting to pursue our medical career could stop us from getting to start our family,” shares Sharrer.
There were 165 combinations of where she could go and only 16 that would bring the couple together. Now, she's on her way to Phoenix, Arizona.
Sharrer says, "I'll be going to barrow neurological institute which is an incredible program. I am very excited to study neurology there and we get married in June and residency starts in July."
The program's students have been specially trained to work in rural communities. They graduate in May. Some will stay in Kentucky, while others, like Sharrer, will head to different parts of the country.
The program’s associate dean, Dr. Rebecca Todd, says, "It's a big day across the nation because every physician graduate finds out where they're gonna spend the next few years of their lives today."
11 graduates took the next step toward helping communities.
Todd says, "It's like the honeymoon period. You don't quite have to do the work yet, so you do get to celebrate that you're gonna be a resident, you're gonna graduate from medical school."
For Sharrer, it's the start of several new chapters. She says it's taken a lot of work to get to this point, and she would encourage students in next year's class to press on.
She says, "When you feel the pressure, when you feel the weight, when you feel the stress, just realizing that you have this burden because you can rise above it and carry it with you to help more people and to help more patients."
