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UTGSM Celebrates Match Day 2024
On March 15, 2024, twelve Knoxville designated University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Medicine fourth-year medical students gathered with eager anticipation to partake in the time-honored tradition of "Match Day." Held at Maple Hall in downtown Knoxville, this year's students opened their "Match Day" letters at exactly 12:00 PM EST while celebrating with friends and family. Issued by the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP), these letters revealed the specialty programs and locations where each student will begin their residency training after graduation from medical school.
This year's Match Day held special significance, as it coincided with a record-breaking participation in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). According to NRMP statistics, a total of 50,413 applicants registered in the 2024 Main Residency Match, marking an all-time high in applicant numbers. This surge in participation, fueled by an increase in non-U.S. citizen international medical graduates (IMGs) and osteopathic (DO) seniors, underscores the competitiveness and importance of the match process.
"I was very anxious the morning of match day. However, once I opened my envelope to find one of my top choices, I was ecstatic," said UTHSC medical student Christopher Forsyth. "It felt like a culmination of all those years of hard work in medical school. I'm so excited to take what I have learned at UT to Birmingham to complete my internal medicine residency. I am extremely grateful for the mentorship and support from everyone at the UTHSC, especially those in Knoxville at UTGSM."
Match Day represents a significant transition in the professional journey of medical students, marking their transformation into practicing physicians. This momentous occasion is characterized by a palpable sense of emotion and anticipation as students disclose the destinations of their forthcoming residency training. Dr. Paige Johnson, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education, aptly noted, “Today, we celebrated the culmination of our medical students' rigorous educational journey. Match Day is a testament to their resilience, dedication, and the collective efforts that have shaped them into future healthcare leaders. As we stand on the brink of their careers, we honor not just their achievements, but also the educators and mentors who have guided them along this path."
UTHSC medical students participating in this year’s Match celebration in Knoxville were:
Justin Mark Adam - Carolinas Med Ctr-NC - Psychiatry
Shehroze Akhter - HCA Houston Healthcare/U Houston-TX - General Surgery
Landon Reed Carroll - Ascension St Alexius-IL - Obstetrics-Gynecology
Christopher Forsyth - U Alabama Med Ctr-Birmingham - Internal Medicine
Samson David Lopez-Schultz - UT Graduate School of Medicine - General Surgery
Dylan Ellis Parker - UT Graduate School of Medicine - Anesthesiology
James Michael Ruth - UT Health Science Center - Orthopaedic Surgery
Colin Robert Shone - U South Alabama Hospitals - Neurology
Sydney Kate Stewart - UT Graduate School of Medicine - Obstetrics-Gynecology
Amber Tran - Wake Forest Baptist Med Ctr-NC - Pathology
Lucas Wilkins - Trident Medical Center-SC - Surgery
Colin Richard Yarid - U Alabama Med Ctr-Birmingham - Internal Medicine
Posted: April 9, 2024