Nothing exemplified more the anticipation and happiness of Match Day 2010 than the sight of medical student Emily Yocum leaping into the arms of her fiancé, Dale Mills, and shouting “We got it!” among their hugs and kisses.

Yocum, 25, had just opened an envelope to discover she will begin a residency in emergency medicine at the University of Michigan Hospital, her first selection for a location to begin practicing medicine.

“I’m so happy, so happy,” said Yocum, of Madison Heights, while hugging Mills.

“This means I get to keep my job, too,” said a grinning Mills, 25, an officer with the Clawson Police Department.

The Wayne State University School of Medicine’s Class of 2010 opened similar envelopes March 18 to discover where they are headed to continue medical training. The cafeteria in Scott Hall was packed with the students, their family members, faculty and administrators for the annual ceremony.

“Medical students have several significant milestones during their undergraduate careers, including getting into medical school, passing Step 1 of the USMLE and graduation. But I believe that Match Day may be the most anticipated. I know it was for me,” Interim Dean Valerie Parisi, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., told the students and their families. “Because this is my first Match Day as interim dean here at Wayne State, today is also a special milestone for me. … I want to tell you I couldn’t be more thrilled with the achievement of this year’s class. The number, type and quality of your matches is truly remarkable.”

The Class of 2010 achieved a 93 percent match rate, meaning that percentage of the 279 graduating students secured residencies at one of their first three chosen facilities across the country.The newly-minted residents will begin practicing medicine in 31 states and the District of Columbia, as well as Canada.

Just slightly more than 50 percent of the students matched with facilities in Michigan, important for a number of reasons, said Kertia Black, M.D., assistant dean of Student Affairs, who served as mistress of ceremonies for Match Day 2010. Those who complete residencies in Michigan often remain here to practice medicine, a benefit to a state facing a projected physician shortage.

Of those who will join health care facilities in Michigan, the majority will practice at the Detroit Medical Center, Beaumont Hospitals and Henry Ford Health Systems.

Stefanie Wise, 26, will be one of those who practice medicine in the state. She secured a residency with her first pick, Detroit Receiving Hospital, where she will enter emergency medicine.

“I’m very happy,” said Wise, originally from a small town near Grand Rapids and now living on the east side of Detroit. “I worked there and loved the atmosphere. It’s a great fit for what I want to do.”

Tara LaRoche, 26, split her time before the opening of the envelopes between keeping her fingers crossed that her husband, Tom LaRoche, would capture his first pick for a radiology residency in Indiana and rocking their 6-week-old daughter, Ella.

“We’d be happy with Indiana. He visited there and really liked it,” said Mrs. LaRouche. “We’d also be happy with Michigan.”

Mr. LaRouche matched with St. Joseph Mercy-Oakland.

During the Match Day celebration, departmental awards were announced. The awards and winners include:

Senior Award in Dermatology: Marian Ibrahim and Marijana Atanasovski

Society for Academic Emergency Medicine 2010 Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award: Emily Yocum and Stefanie Wise

Excellence in Family Medicine Award: Nicole Jones

Department of Family Medicine Research Award: Kelita Fox

North American Primary Care Research Group Student Research Award: Michael Zintsmaster

Gordon B. Myers Memorial Award: Sayf Al-Katib and Cerine Jeanty

Dr. A. Ashley Rousuck Award in Internal Medicine: Joseph Asteriou

Emanual Graff Endowed Memorial Award: Swaytha Yalamanchi

Oliver J. Marcotte, M.D., Endowed Humanitarian Award: Chelsea Cunliffe, Aaron Kang and Dania Hatahet

Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Student Scholar of the Year Award: Lauren Carroll

American Academy of Neurology Medical Prize for Excellence in Neurology: Nicholas Beimer

David S. Diamond Memorial Award: Eirwen Scott

Dong H. Shin Outstanding Ophthalmology Research Award: Samantha Dewundara and Sonia Walia

Robert Rutzky Award: Grant Bailey

Saul Brown Award: Stephanie Dean

Anna Rutzky Memorial Award: Erica VanderKooy

Jeffrey Farkas, M.D., Memorial Award: Stephanie Salinas

Cheryl Hack, M.D., Pediatric Award: Taemyn Hollis

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Student Achievement Award: Karin Goodfriend

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences Achievement Award: Courtney Rowling

Junior Scholarship Award in Surgery: Megan Anderson

Charles L. Huang, M.D. Award: Iuliana Dit

Medical Alumni Senior Scholarship Award: Emily McLaren

Class of 2009 Academic Achievement Awards: Emily McLaren, freshman year; Emily McLaren, sophomore year; Emily McLaren, junior year; Saloni Shah and Andrew Bunney, senior year

Elvis Smith Alford, M.D., and Nellie Corbin Alford Memorial Award: Emily McLaren

Majorie Edwards Prize for Scholarship and Community Service: Lance Wells

Janet M. Glasgow Memorial Achievement Citation: Jaida Bourke, Stephanie Dean, Elizabeth Frayer, Pooja Gupta, Joanna Hooten, Marian Ibrahim, Cerine Jeanty, Emily McLaren, Lindsay Petersen, Johanna Scheer, Erica VanderKooy and Leah Weitz

Robert J. Sokol, M.D., Medical Alumni Association Endowed Prize: Paula Whittington and Thomas Beaumont

Distinction in Biomedical Research: Awet Abraha, Samantha Dewundara, Mark Toma, Mark Zintsmaster, Julian Raffoul, Thomas Beaumont, Benjamin Caughlin, Anvi Vora and Paula Whittington

Distinguished Service Award: Erica Huddleston, Taemyn Hollis, Anika Kumar, Lindsay Baker DeVries and Lauren Carroll

Penfil-Tischler Award: Nicole Jones

Class Marshal: Michael Stellini, M.D.