The anxiety level on the floor of the Petersen Events Center was high shortly before noon Friday as 146 soon-to-be graduates of the University of Pittsburgh Medical School learned where they would be spending the next to three to seven years of their lives.

The annual event called Match Day pairs medical students with a residency program through the National Resident Matching Program, a nonprofit that matches graduating medical student with residency programs across the country. Nationally, more than 31,000 future doctors were paired Friday to training programs.

Before learning their residency destinations, medical students clad in cobalt blue t-shirts gathered with family and friends. At the stroke of noon, they were directed over to a long table and told to find an envelope with their name and picture on it.

The envelopes contained perhaps the most important letters they would receive.

The envelopes! #MatchDay @PittHealthSci video by @41Suzanne pic.twitter.com/7XEk2yu66v

— Ben Schmitt (@bencschmitt) March 16, 2018

A quick countdown was given, and the future doctors opened their envelope.

Sydney Beache of Louisville, Ky., wiped tears from her eyes as she learned she was going to be doing her residency at Washington University in St. Louis. Her father, Dr. Garth Beache, a radiologist at the University of Louisville's School of Medicine, stood off to the side beaming with pride.

"Now, she's my peer," joked Dr. Beache, who surprised his daughter by attending the ceremony.

Sydney Beache, 25, is planning on specializing in general surgery with an emphasis on the liver and pancreas.

"I find it interesting," said Beache, who has an undergraduate degree in biology from Stanford University.

Corey Rearick of Beaver County told his wife, Markie, an oncology nurse, that if he got his wish and matched with the University of Chicago then she would have to buy a parka.

"That was the first thing he told me when he opened his envelope," Markie said. "But, I will always be a Pirates fan."

Med school friends Chibueze, Shawn, and Jimmy celebrate as they open their #MatchDay2018 envelopes. They are headed to @BrownUniversity , @MayoClinic , and Jackson Memorial respectively. pic.twitter.com/7S57tHpQQT

— University of Pittsburgh (@PittTweet) March 16, 2018

Rearick, 25, who has a degree in biology from Waynesburg University, will specialize in oncology at Chicago.

"I am really, really happy," he said. "Four years came down to 10 seconds."

James Bowen, the class president, who wants to specialize in pediatrics also got his first choice, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. His undergraduate degree is in biochemistry from Lehigh University.

"I knew I matched and was cautiously optimistic," said Bowen, 25, whose hometown is Flemington, N.J.

Overall, 37 medical students were matched to Pitt programs, said Dr. Joan Harvey, associate dean for student affairs. Johns Hopkins and the University of Michigan were matched with multiple Pitt students, she said.

"They are all top programs," she said. "You had a great match."

Woo hoo! #PittMed had 10 matches to orthopaedic surgery -- a record! #MatchDay2018#H2P pic.twitter.com/1BuNzDDpH9

— Pitt Health Sciences (@PittHealthSci) March 16, 2018

Suzanne Elliott is a Tribune-Review staff writer. She can be reached at 412-871-2346, selliott@tribweb.com or via Twitter @41Suzanne.

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