CINCINNATI — With a sealed envelope in his one hand and his other gripping tightly onto his fiancée’s, Mason Yoder’s entire medical journey came into a new perspective.
Four years of pre-med, countless med-school applications, a gap year as a nursing assistant, and four years at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine all led up to one moment, Friday morning, opening that envelope and learning where he’d matched for residency.
Every year, thousands of medical students across the country find out on the same day which teaching hospital will take them on for the next step in their medical education. As residents, this next class of doctors will train for three to seven years, working directly with patients under experienced clinicians in their field of study.
Yoder was one of 174 UC medical students who gathered in the Kresge Auditorium to learn their program matches together.
“It feels like we’re going to be one big community,” he said.
For Yoder, the journey to medical school wasn’t easy. He said he imagined a future in medicine in high school when he started developing a passion for science. Then, in grade 10, he said his grandfather was diagnosed with brain cancer.
“We were very close,” he said. “His influence on my life, and my knowledge and my newfound love for science, that kind of stirred me on for medicine and that’s a journey I’ve been on ever since.”
Yoder pursued the career in earnest at Hope College in Michigan, where he studied chemistry and also met his fiancée Jenni. Then his four years there ended with disappointment when he didn’t get into medical school.
“It was incredibly disheartening to me,” he said. “But I didn’t give up.”
Yoder took on a job as a nursing assistant to get more experience in health care and reapplied to medical school the following year. He said his acceptance at UC proved he was back on track as long as he kept working.
“I did not think I would get into Cincinnati when I applied to Cincinnati,” he said. “I didn’t know if I would make it through the four years of medical school but I’ve made it through.”
On Monday, Yoder learned he had matched with an internal residency program, taking one weight off his shoulders. He would be a doctor, it was just a matter of where.
“It’s like the end of this four-year journey of finding myself in this whole world of health professions and finding out what I want to do,” he said.
When Yoder opened his envelope, he discovered he was accepted to his first choice program at the University of Michigan hospital.
“We have family there. It’s a great program; it was definitely No. 1 on our list,” he said.
Yoder will head to Ann Arbor shortly after graduation, beginning his residency in June, weeks after his wedding.
He said he expects the next three years to be difficult and time-consuming, but he’ll rely on his future wife and family for support.
“As much as I’ve grown in medical school, I know I’m going to grow even more in residency,” he said. “Part of medical school is really finding out what you want to do and what you love and your passion about what you love helps get you through those hard times.”
Friday, though, was a time for Yoder to celebrate alongside his classmates soon to begin their dream programs across the country.
“I got beyond where I thought I was gonna go,” he said.
Editor's Note: The previous version of this story used the incorrect name for the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. This has been corrected. (March, 24, 2022)