Medical students meet their match

Match Day at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

On March 15, fourth-year students at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota learned where they will begin their residency training. Also, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education learned who would be its incoming Mayo residents through the National Resident Matching Program. The medical students opened their envelopes at 11 a.m. CDT, discovering their future specialties and residency training locations. 

98 students in Jacksonville, Florida; Phoenix, Arizona; and Rochester, Minnesota, participated in the match at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. Students will go on to residencies at Mayo Clinic and across the country in specialties such as neurosurgery, pediatrics, psychiatry and emergency medicine.

Watch: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine students open their envelopes

Journalists: Broadcast-quality b-roll video from Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, along with sound bites from students can be found in the downloads at the bottom of the post. Please courtesy: “Mayo Clinic News Network.” 

Match Day, held on the third Friday in March, is when medical school students and graduates from the U.S. and worldwide learn which U.S. residency program they will train at for the next three to seven years. A physician can practice independently when residency is completed and all boards have been passed. 

“Match Day is one of those things that we all look forward to from the time we apply to medical school. In some ways, it carries more weight than graduation as it dictates so much of what the next phase of our lives look like. Opening the envelope at 9 a.m. carries the same weight as the first time you wear a white coat or put on a stethoscope — it’s a tangible and often exciting step toward what we’ve dedicated the last four years to. And it’s often the last big step before graduation. Match Day is so many things. More than anything, it’s a huge step — and a day we have all been eagerly counting down to for a long time!”  

“These have been four of the best years of my life. Mayo has prepared me well for residency clinically, but importantly, it has also facilitated many opportunities for personal growth that have molded me into a more mature and thoughtful person. The Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine experience has prepared me to take care of the whole patient, considering their social situation, emotional state, family needs and physical health when given the opportunity to contribute to their care.” 

“As a graduating medical student, the anticipation surrounding Match Day is palpable. It’s more than just an event; it embodies the culmination of years of relentless dedication, countless late nights studying and personal sacrifice. The match results become a tangible representation of the growth and transformation we’ve undergone throughout medical school. The emotions surrounding Match Day are a complex blend of relief, excitement and a touch of trepidation as we embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. It’s a pivotal moment that acknowledges the past, celebrates the present and ushers in an exciting future.” 

“Beyond the academic and clinical aspects, it is the relationships I have cultivated along the way, including those with patients, that will shape my residency experience. The friendships, mentors and connections forged during my time in medical school have instilled in me invaluable lessons in empathy, collaboration and continuous learning, which I believe are essential qualities for success as an orthopedic surgery resident and beyond.”

Matching at Mayo Clinic 

Match Day is important to Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education because it trains future physicians at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and is a destination for incoming resident trainees, offering residency positions across Mayo Clinic.  

This year, 65 of the school’s Arizona, Florida, Minnesota and Wisconsin programs participated in the National Resident Matching Program and offered 354 residency positions.

Students can graduate from Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine or another qualifying institution, complete their specialty and subspecialty training at Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, and continue their professional medical career as members of Mayo Clinic staff. Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education is critically important to Mayo Clinic’s future, as the school has trained 60% of Mayo’s current physicians. 

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science is boldly transforming biomedical education. It is one of the largest postgraduate medical education systems in North America, with more than 325 residency and fellowship programs hosting over 1,900 trainees and educating more than 4,000 students annually in four schools: 

In addition, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development provides continuing education courses for medical professionals across the globe. 

Whether a participant matches at Mayo Clinic or other U.S. residency programs, Match Day symbolizes the beginning of the students’ and graduates’ medical careers.  ###