Standing among their classmates at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field, a friend group of seven medical students simultaneously opened letters to find out where they would pursue the next step in their training.
Much to their surprise – and overwhelming excitement – they discovered they would get to spend a few more years in Lexington, Ky., together. At the beginning of July, they all started their residency programs at UK.
On Match Day in March, Blaine Patty and Jacob Hubbuch were side-by-side when they learned they matched at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. They turned around to see Amanda and J.T. Henderson running toward them to share the same news. Upon finding out Catalina Reusche and Griffin Cote also matched at UK, J.T. picked them up and carried them to the others. Then Torie Osborne ran in to join the celebration.
There were tears, jumps for joy, and plenty of hugs.
“The odds weren’t in our favor,” Blaine said. “It was such an emotional – but a good kind of emotional – experience.”
The friend group started with Blaine and Jacob, who became friends during undergraduate training at Western Kentucky University. The group grew gradually during their first year at the UK College of Medicine. Catalina and Torie were neighbors. Amanda and J.T. sat next to each other every day in class. Eventually, the smaller groups formed one big group.
Through the remainder of medical school they studied together, made weekend lake trips to Tennessee, and set up an annual pumpkin patch trip during the fall. And in the winter, they have a lot of get-togethers because “there’s a stretch of six weeks where almost everyone has a birthday,” J.T. said with a laugh.
They all have grown closer ever since. In fact, Amanda and J.T. married in May. Griffin and Catalina are engaged.
Now that orientation is complete, and they have all started their residency programs, they will have each other to lean on.
“We already decided that we’re going to start a pager group,” Torie said.
“I don’t know if I will want all the beeps,” joked Jacob, who is in the general surgery program.
Meanwhile, Catalina and Amanda is pursuing pediatrics. J.T. and Blaine are in the combined internal medicine and pediatrics program. Griffin is training in radiology, while Torie is training in the pediatrics, psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry residency program.
“I think we’re all super nervous to start,” J.T. said, "but it’s much more reassuring that we know a lot of people. That will help a lot. Also, the fact that we’re here at UK, it takes a whole element of anxiousness away."