The matches came in March 19, and the news is all good: The 17 members of the second graduating class at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) will complete their residency training at some of the top medical programs in the United States and Qatar.

The class follows in the footsteps of the Class of 2008, with the soon-to-be doctors matching to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, the Cleveland Clinic, the University of Michigan Hospitals-Ann Arbor, Hamad Medical Corporation and other prominent centers.

Manisha Deb Roy, who matched to New York Hospital Medical Center in Queens, called the Match Day experience "mind-blowing."

"Everything feels completely surreal," said Roy. "I could hardly imagine this day when I started medical school. I am grateful to the faculty at WCMC-Q who made this day possible, and I am especially grateful to my parents for their support."

"All those years of hard work have finally paid off," added Yasir Tarabichi, who will do his residency in internal medicine at the Cleveland Clinic.

The Class of 2009, which will graduate May 6, is a diverse group, with chosen specialties that include internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, surgery, neurology, psychiatry, and physical medicine and rehabilitation. Two students have elected to pursue a year of clinical research before starting their residency training.

Congratulating the class, Interim Dean Javaid Sheikh said: "This is a very special day in the life of a medical student; a day that they will remember for a long time. I applaud the students for their perseverance, dedication and hard work that have allowed them to reach this momentous day. The fact that all our students matched in areas of their choice is highly significant and speaks to the quality of our programs."

Maya Hammoud, senior associate dean of education, agreed. "It has been wonderful to watch these students progress through the years," Hammoud said. "I have no doubt that they will do well, and we are all going to miss them."