wwltv.com

Posted on March 16, 2012 at 5:54 PM

Meg Farris / Eyewitness News Email: mfarris@wwltv.com | Twitter: @megfarriswwl

NEWORLEANS - At the exact same time, at every medical school in the country, graduating seniors got an envelope announcing where they will spend the next five years of their lives training in an internship and residency program.

On Friday, graduates from LSU Medical School and Tulane Medical School each gathered at locations near the Morial Convention Center with their families to see if they got their first choices for the hospital and specialty they want to train in.

Amidst cheers from all the medical students, faculty doctors called out each student name by name.

One senior opened his envelope in front of our cameras, and saw he was going to Oregon.

"That was my first choice. I got my first choice for everything. So I've got to go talk to my family," he said running off in excitement.

At the LSU Medical School match, 108 out of 171 graduating seniors will stay in Louisiana to get their residency training. LSU doctors say the promise of a new teaching hospital is critical.

"It's just like a carpenter. You need a hammer and a nails to build a house. I need a first class hospital so these students can train and become the doctors that are going to take care of you and me," said Dr. Steve Nelson, Dean of the LSU Medical School.

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Medical students matched with their residency programs, many to stay in La.