MATCH DAY: UCLA medical students learn what hospitals accepted them for residency

WESTWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- There was a frenzy on the campus of University of California, Los Angeles Friday morning at the Geffen School of Medicine for Residency Match Day.

A total of 150 aspiring doctors tore open envelopes to find out where they will be living and training over the next three to seven years.

Omar Viramontes is headed to UC San Francisco. Viramontes came to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 10 years old. The 26-year-old attended UCLA on a full-ride scholarship.

"I think this is a program that will give me the skills, the training and the mentoring that will allow me to become a very compassionate but also very effective physician," Viramontes said.

Peterson's daughter Kaitlin Arena is among the 35 students remaining at UCLA for training and residency.

"She has spent 10 years to get here, so this is the culmination of hard work and a dream," said mom Karin Peterson.

Dr. Kelsey Martin, dean of the Geffen School of Medicine, said the Match Day tradition brings her joy and hope.

"It actually makes the whole job worthwhile because the students are so amazing. They work so hard, and they're gonna go out and change the world to be great doctors," said Martin.

More than 75 percent of students will be completing training and residency in California, a UCLA record.