Temple-St. Luke’s medical students celebrate “Match Day” pandemic-style this year from the comfort of home with select family, viewing their letters online instead of in person.

The Temple-St. Luke’s Class of 2021 will graduate May 7 in Philadelphia. The medical school will welcome the incoming Class of 2025 in August for its “White Coat Ceremony.”

Match Day coordinator and fourth-year student John Pisan and his fiancée Rebecca Loechli, who are pursuing residencies in Obstetrics and Gynecology, will spend the next four years training to be OB-GYNs at St. Luke’s University Hospital - Fountain Hill.

“National Match Day is an unforgettable milestone for every medical student across the country,” said Shaden Eldakar-Hein, MD, St. Luke’s University Health Network and Senior Associate Dean and Associate Professor, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.

“We are proud to have trained our graduating class of 2021, and we are extremely pleased to see our students moving on to some of the most highly-regarded residency programs in the nation, including St. Luke’s,” Eldakar-Hein said.

Fourth-year student Saira Agarwala of Center Valley is planning a career in Dermatology. “At St. Luke’s, our class is small and tight-knit. We’ve seen each other through a lot, including deciding what residencies we want to pursue, Agarwala said.

Trina Wijangco reflects on her fourth year in medical school and the path that led her to St. Luke’s. “I was fortunate to be part of St. Luke’s class. I applied to Temple because I’m a city girl and wanted to be in a metropolitan area but learning and living in Bethlehem has taught me a lot. I grew as a person and I know that I can go anywhere now.”

St. Luke’s has 38 graduate medical education programs, including residencies and fellowships, in family medicine, emergency medicine, dermatology, neurology, cardiology and many others.

“This year, we interviewed and matched with many individuals with local ties, which is ideal because there is a stronger possibility of them staying here if they train here, meaning more physicians particularly in high-demand specialties to help care for our community,” said J.P. Orlando, Ed.D, St. Luke’s Chief Graduate Medical Education Officer.

“After working with these students the past four years, I look forward to seeing their growth into excellent, well-trained physicians,” retired dean, Joel Rosenfeld, MD said.

Information: www.sluhn.org/som; www.sluhn.org/gme