Growing up in Zimbabwe, Tracy Makuvire witnessed the difficulties people faced in accessing health care and how those challenges affected many families, including her own.

Determined to become a doctor so that she could help heal others, Makuvire came to the United States seeking an education in medicine. She graduated from Stanford University in 2013 and is now just months away from receiving her medical degree from Harvard Medical School (HMS).

On March 16, Makuvire said her dream came true when she found out she was one of the 76 incoming interns selected for BWH’s Internal Medicine Residency Program on Match Day. She, along with several other newly matched interns, celebrated their acceptance into the program with current BWH residents, faculty and staff during a reception in the Zinner Breakout Room.

“This is the culmination of my studies since high school,” said Makuvire, who completed a rotation in the Department of Surgery as a fourth-year medical student. When she opened the envelope and saw it contained the words Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Makuvire was overjoyed to know she would soon begin her journey as a physician at this world-class medical institution.

“I immediately contacted my family in Zimbabwe and told them I had matched at the Brigham,” Makuvire said. “I’m counting down the days until I will put on my white coat and say to a patient for the first time, ‘Hello, I am Dr. Makuvire, and I’ll be taking care of you today.’ That is going to be a very special moment for me.”

Classmate and fellow incoming intern Enrico Giuseppe Ferro echoed Makuvire’s excitement. He was thrilled to video chat with his family back home in Italy as he opened his envelope earlier in the day. Ferro said he’s proud to continue the family tradition of caring for patients, just as his parents have done for so many years as physicians.

“Having the honor to enter patients’ lives and help them feel better – that is a privilege that will stay with us forever as doctors,” said Ferro, who completed an elective rotation in the BWH Division of Cardiovascular Medicine during medical school. “Matching at the Brigham is hard to beat. The community here is filled with such supportive people who want to help you succeed.”

Fellow HMS student David Wang enjoyed the Match Day festivities with his family, who was visiting from Texas. While he said they weren’t enthusiastic about the snowy weather, they were ecstatic about Wang’s match news. Recently having completed a rotation in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Wang said he was very grateful to join an academic medical center so renowned for clinical training, constant support and a sense of family.

Thinking back to his Match Day experience a year ago, Zachary Hermes, MD, MPH, a resident in the Department of Medicine, attended this year’s celebration and congratulated his soon-to-be colleagues. He said it “feels like yesterday” when he found out he matched at the Brigham.

“The past year here has been more than I could have imagined,” Hermes said. “I hope the newly matched residents come to work with open minds and hearts and ready to learn. This is an experience unlike any other.”

Diana Bartenstein, of Tufts University School of Medicine, and Sally Tan, of HMS, gave each other a big hug when they arrived at BWH on Match Day. Bartenstein and Tan, who both plan to pursue a career in dermatology, recently met and became close friends after working as counselors at a camp for children with dermatologic conditions. They’re thrilled to spend this next chapter in their careers together at the Brigham.

During the Match Day celebration, Joel Katz, MD, director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program and vice chair for Medical Education in the Department of Medicine, welcomed the new interns into the Brigham family and congratulated them on finding their match.

“Today is a banner day for our hospital,” Katz said. “It’s wonderful to be able to welcome so many talented, hard-working and enthusiastic students to the Brigham. I hope our new residents enjoy the experience and focus on becoming the best doctors possible.”