The University of Nevada's medical students continued their tradition of placing in some of the nation's most competitive residency programs today when the Class of 2015 learned the results of the National Resident Matching Program.

Sixty-nine students matched with residency institutions in Nevada and across the nation and will enter specialties ranging from anesthesiology to physical medicine and rehabilitation. The Class of 2015's top specialty choices were anesthesiology, emergency medicine, general surgery and internal medicine.

"The fact that so many of our students placed into the nation's most competitive residency programs speaks well to the level of training and education they receive here at the School of Medicine," said Cherie Singer, Ph.D., associate dean of admissions and student affairs.

"For example, for the first time in our school's history, we had two students match in very competitive and prestigious residency programs at UC San Francisco and two at the Mayo Clinic."

Of note, 22 School of Medicine graduates, or 32 percent, will enter primary care specialties including internal medicine, pediatrics and family medicine. A shortage of primary care physicians exists nationwide, and in especially in Nevada. Five students will complete their residency program with branches of the U.S. military services.

The School of Medicine also learned that 107 graduates matched into its 12 residency programs and will start their training this June in Reno, Las Vegas and rural Nevada.

Residency training location is a strong indication of where physicians will likely set up their practices following completion of residency and has strong implications for the future availability of health care professionals in a given area.

Nearly 32 percent of the Class of 2015 will leave the state for their residency training for programs not offered in Nevada.