Just after Jennifer Russell tore open the gold envelope bearing her name, out came the shirts.
She’d matched into the family medicine residency program at the University of Virginia, and everyone who had supported her on her journey to becoming a physician was soon to be decked out in UVA gear, courtesy of her mom.
Fourth-year UToledo medical student Teresa Wong reaches for her envelope during Match Day at the Stranahan Theater on Friday. The annual event is when fourth-year medical students nationwide learn where they will begin residency training in their chosen specialty after they graduate.
For Russell, who came to UToledo after earning an undergraduate degree from James Madison University and a master’s degree from Georgetown, matching with UVA represented both the culmination of a dream and a homecoming.
“When I saw UVA, I ugly cried,” she said. “I’ve wanted this for so, so long, and now I get to do it with my family at the school I’ve dreamt of going to my entire life. It’s incredible.”
The Charlottesville, Virginia, native was one of 167 fourth-year medical students at The University of Toledo who celebrated Match Day at the Stranahan Theater on Friday, March 21, learning where they’ll begin residency training in their chosen specialty after they graduate.
“Medical school is challenging. You should be proud of the work you’ve done to date and what you’ve been able to accomplish to this point. Through your labs, lectures and clinical rotations, you’ve prepared yourselves for this moment,” Interim President Matt Schroeder said shortly before the clock struck noon and students collected the envelopes containing their match information. “You are in the position to make a real difference in people’s lives as a graduate of The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences.”
Ahead of Match Day, students rank their top destinations, and residency program rank their top student choices. A computer algorithm administered by the National Resident Matching Program then matches students and residency programs together.
It makes for a moment of excitement, anticipation and — for many — more than a little stress.
The wait, however, was worth it.
“This has just been a dream that she has had for as long as I can remember,” said Jennifer Russell’s mother, Susy Russell. “She’s had on her mirror, Jennifer Russel M.D. and underneath that she had UVA on a little sticky note probably since she was in middle school. I’m proud of how hard she’s worked. Toledo has been a great education for her, but we’re going to be very happy to have her home.”
Alexander Didier, a fourth-year medical student from the Chicago area, also celebrated with his parents. With tears in his eyes, he gave each a big hug after learning he had matched in internal medicine at Northwestern University.
Fourth-year medical students Shangari Varatharajan, left, and Shivangi Sharma celebrate their residency training matches.
“It’s my dream program,” he said “I’m so excited. It’s everything to me. I feel like all of us have worked really hard for four years for this. And now for me, I get to go home, be near my family and continue my training somewhere I’m really excited about.”
Dilpreet Kaeley was looking forward to a homecoming of her own. A California native, she matched into anesthesiology at UC Davis.
Kaeley was initially drawn to Toledo by the University’s BACC2MD program, which offers an early medical school entry option to well-prepared high school students.
“I knew I wanted to be a physician and was looking for pathways to get there. I did bioengineering as an undergraduate, which was amazing as a prelude to medical school,” she said. “Toledo has been a land of opportunity for me. I’ve been able to be super involved in undergrad as well as medical school and obviously it set me up for success.”
Kelly Walker and David Allen met their match at UToledo in more ways than one.
The couple met in the first few weeks of medical school, got married in October and will continue their residency training with the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, with Walker matching into pathology and Allen in internal medicine.
“I really liked the diagnostic side of things and I’m a visual learner, so I enjoyed that a lot,” Walker said. “Today’s been a high energy, high stress day. I’m just excited to dive into what I’m really passionate about and go all in on that.”
Of the 167 fourth-year students who matched, 19 matched into UToledo’s residency program, and 71 matched with programs in Ohio.
UToledo’s graduates will train in a total of 23 medical specialists across 28 states. Michigan, with 19, and Illinois, with 14, were the most common destination states after Ohio.
