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While their classmates in the ���ϲʿ���ֱ�� Class of 2022 are a few weeks away from Match Day and finally learning where they will complete their residency training, Jordan Jabara and Ernie Morton find themselves overcome with excitement and already breathing a sigh of relief.

That’s because Jabara and Morton found out in early February that they were successful in the 2022 Ophthalmology Match and the 2022 Urology Match, respectively.

“I was in shock, I was so happy,” said Morton, who learned on February 1 that he will complete his five years of residency training at Emory University in Atlanta. “I couldn’t believe it.”

Jabara will complete his four years of residency training at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. He learned his Match results on February 8.

“I read the email that day and it said, ‘Congratulations, you matched at Beaumont,’” Jabara said. “Opening up that email was just thrilling.”

For Morton, an alumnus of Central Michigan University, the news that he matched into the competitive specialty of urology marked the culmination of a journey that began for him at WMed in 2016 when he was a member of the medical school’s inaugural cohort for the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences degree program.

After earning his master’s degree from WMed in 2017, the Grand Rapids native followed that up with an MBA from Western Michigan University, wrote a book about how to get into medical school, and then returned to WMed in 2019 to begin his pursuit of a ���ϲʿ���ֱ�� degree.

“I think WMed really provided me with every opportunity I needed to succeed,” Morton said recently. “The master’s program really allowed me to observe medical students and learn how to navigate medical school. It really put me in a position to succeed.”

Now, as he stands on the cusp of graduation this spring and the next step into residency training, Morton said he is excited about the opportunity to be a part of the urology residency program at Emory and pursue a specialty that will allow him to experience “the best of both worlds” between work in the clinic and operating room.

“After I interviewed at Emory, I had this gut feeling and I really regretted that I didn’t do an away rotation there,” Morton said. “I really liked them a lot. Everyone was energized, everyone was happy to be there, and everyone was really trying to be helpful.”

Morton said he is grateful for his time at WMed as a student in both the MBS and ���ϲʿ���ֱ�� programs.

“No matter where you want to go in medicine or what you want to do, WMed has the tools to help you succeed and take your own path,” he said. “It’s a community here and no matter what you want to do there is someone there to support you and help you along the way.”

Meanwhile, Jabara said he is looking forward to joining the ophthalmology residency program at OUWB and beginning his training in a specialty that he said appealed to him because it offers “the perfect blend of fascinating physiology, delicate surgeries, and innovative technology.”

Jabara, a native of the Lansing area, is an alumnus of Kalamazoo College where he was a member of the football team. After a gap year that followed graduation, he came to WMed as a member of the Class of 2022, pursuing a career in medicine like his older brother, Justin, who graduated from Wayne State University School of Medicine and is now a third-year Orthopaedic Surgery resident at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine.

Jabara said his older brother has been a mentor to him as he has navigated the rigors of medical school, always willing to lend an ear and provide feedback on things like electives and away rotations. He said Justin is also a mentor to their younger brother, James, a M3 and member of the Class of 2023 at WMed.

In addition to his brother, Jabara said he is also thankful for the fantastic mentors he has had along the way during his time at WMed, including Dr. Susan Thoms, a retired ophthalmologist who works closely with students, Brendan Tamm, a WMed graduate who is now an ophthalmology resident at George Washington University, and Dr. Munzer Abdulhak, a Kalamazoo ophthalmologist who frequently works with students interested in ophthalmology.

Jabara said the time he spent shadowing Dr. Abdulhak at the beginning of his fourth year at WMed solidified his decision to pursue a career in ophthalmology.

“Dr. Abdulhak took me under his wing and taught me the fundamentals of ophthalmology,” he said. Additionally, Jabara said he witnessed the tremendous impact of vision.

“It was very special for me to see patients before and after surgery,” Jabara said. “Many patients had not seen clearly in years. This helped me realize the impact you could have in the specialty and how grateful the patients are for the care they were given.”

As his final year at WMed winds down, Jabara said he is looking forward to supporting his classmates and celebrating with them on March 18 during Match Day.

“It’s going to be such a great day,” Jabara said. “It’s a very nerve-racking period, but it’s an exciting one, as well.”

For his part, Morton said he is also looking forward to Match Day and the opportunity to bask in the success that is sure to come his classmates’ way.

“The waiting game is very tough,” Morton said. “I’m going to be so excited for my classmates on that day and really celebrate for everybody. I’m really looking forward to that.”

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