HERSHEY, Pa. — There were cheers, hugs and tears as 134 members of the Penn State College of Medicine graduating class of 2017 ripped open envelopes. Printed on letters within those envelopes were their residency destinations — hospitals where they will continue their medical training under the supervision of attending physicians.

The Match Day event at the Zembo Shrine in Harrisburg marked the culmination of a process that began months ago as students visited and evaluated residency programs — while the programs simultaneously evaluated them. It coincided with similar Match Day events at medical schools across the country.

At Penn State College of Medicine, 37 percent will be staying in Pennsylvania for their residencies, while the rest are headed out-of-state. Twenty-five of the graduates were matched to residencies at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

One-third of the graduating class is headed into primary care fields, including internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics.

>> View the MD Student Residency Match List here.