Two members of the T.H. Chan School of Medicine Class of 2022 took part in early match programs and have learned where they will serve their residencies. Guyu Liu was matched with a military anesthesia residency through the U.S. Air Force via the Health Professions Scholarship Program. Iha Kaul matched into urology at Brown University.
Students entering the National Resident Matching Program will discover where they will serve their residencies on Friday, March 18. That’s when fourth-year medical students at UMass Chan Medical School and across the country open envelopes to learn where they will begin their careers.
Liu and Kaul pursued their residences outside of the National Resident Matching Program. Liu will be relocating to San Antonio, Texas, for his military program, in which he secured one of six spots.
“I joined the Air Force because they have put a lot of emphasis on critical care transportation, which is kind of in line with the anesthesiology practice. It’s providing critical, ICU-level care in the back of a plane,” Liu said.
Liu will train for four years before serving in active duty for another three. His wife, Jee Park, who also works in health care as a nurse practitioner, and their 3-year-old daughter will join him in Texas. Another child is on the way.
Born in China, Liu is the first in his family to graduate from college and the first to become a physician. He said he gained military insight from his brother-in-law, who served in the U.S. Army .
Liu studied veterans health at UMass Chan and learned about life after active duty. He also completed a clinical rotation at Joint Base San Antonio, which he said confirmed his passion for military medicine.
Kaul studied in the Population-based Urban and Community Health track in the Chan School of Medicine and is headed to a competitive program at Brown in a typically male-dominated field.
“I became interested in the program because of their innovative interdisciplinary approach to urologic care, which is really exciting,” Kaul said. “A lot of the faculty there are big advocates for improving representation in urology for women and other people who are not traditionally in the field.”
She said her clinical experiences with urologists such as Jennifer K. Yates, MD, associate professor of urology, were key to choosing the field.
“I'm really interested in the intimate conversation. Urology is all about the genital urinary tract, and it requires a lot of trust with your provider,” she said. “I find that I'm really interested in having those conversations. I want to be the type of person that helps people feel safe and respected.”
After two years of virtual and off-campus celebrations, this year’s Match Day event will take place in person on the UMass Chan campus in the Medical School building Faculty Conference Room and lobby on Friday, March 18. It will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube. The envelopes are opened at noon.
Related UMass Chan news stories:
Drive-in Match Day a unique occasion for soon-to-be UMass Medical School grads
School of Medicine Class of 2021 students match early in competitive military and urology programs
