Fourth-year medical students at The University of Toledo will soon learn the next step on their journey to becoming attending physicians.
At precisely noon on Friday, March 19, more than 150 students from the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences will join thousands of future physicians across the country in learning where they’ve matched for residency.
The annual event — which sets the stage for the next three to seven years of their medical training after graduation — is one of the most anticipated and meaningful moments in the lives of aspiring physicians.
“Match Day is always exciting for our students, their families and the faculty and staff who have supported them over the past four years,” said Dr. Christopher Cooper, dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences. “It’s a day when our students see the payoff of the tireless work and intense training they’ve put in throughout their medical school career.”
Traditionally, students receive an envelope with their placement at an in-person celebration. Because of ongoing public health recommendations against large gatherings, students will learn their placement this year via email.
UToledo is celebrating this year’s graduating class with a virtual Match Day ceremony in order to share the moment at home in small groups of friends and family. A live stream will start at 11:30 a.m. on the College of Medicine and Life Sciences website.
Medical students spend months interviewing with hospitals and universities across the country to determine where they want to complete their residency training.
Students rank their top institutions and academic and community-based health systems rank their top student choices. A computer algorithm administered by the National Resident Matching Program then matches students and residency programs together.
Residents are licensed physicians who care for patients under the supervision of attending physicians while they continue to train in their chosen specialties.
Last year, 167 UToledo medical students matched into positions in 25 medical specialties, ranging from anesthesiology to family medicine.
