Next Chapter Begins for Medical Students at Match Day
The Class of 2025 found out where they will complete their residencies in a jubilant ceremony.
At the stroke of noon, nervous energy exploded into hugs, high fives and handshakes as the Sidney Kimmel Medical College Class of 2025 tore open their envelopes to reveal where they would complete their residencies.
Surrounded by loved ones, Julien Aoyama had tears in his eyes as he read that he matched at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital for orthopedic surgery.
“It has been a long road,” he says. “My wife and family have been so supportive. Dreams come true. This is a pinch-me moment.”
The March 21 Match Day ceremony—held at medical schools nationwide—represented the culmination of four years of late nights, hard work and unbridled determination, says Dr. Said Ibrahim, the Anthony F. and Gertrude M. DePalma Dean of Sidney Kimmel Medical College.
“Match Day is the beginning of a new chapter in your journey in medicine,” he told the Class of 2025 in the Hamilton Building. “It’s an opportunity to join new communities, practice clinical skills and represent Jefferson all over the country. We’re so proud of you and confident of your abilities to care for patients with passion and empathy, regardless of social status or where they come from. Those are the values of our 200-year-old medical school, and we know those values will follow with you.”
Of 269 Sidney Kimmel Medical College students, 256 participated in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), says Dr. Charles Pohl, the University’s senior vice provost for student affairs. The remaining 13 students didn’t take part in the NRMP because of a commitment to one of the Armed Services, the ophthalmology match, the urology match or deferment of residency.
Calling it a “pinch-me moment,” Julien Aoyama matched at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital. (Photos by ©Thomas Jefferson University Photography Services/Video by Joe Amato)
The specialties receiving the highest number of matches included internal medicine, orthopedics and psychiatry. Over 40% chose a primary care residency, including internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, medicine-pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology.
More than one-third of students will do their PGY-1 year at Pennsylvania hospitals, and 25% matched to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital or an affiliate. “We’re over the moon for that,” says Dr. Pohl, also vice dean for student affairs and career counseling at Sidney Kimmel Medical College.
Bridget Cichon will be among those continuing her journey here. She matched at Sidney Kimmel Medical College/Nemours Children’s Hospital for pediatric neurology.
“I get to stay with my support system and continue to build on the connections I’ve already made,” she says. “It’s really exciting. I’m passionate about working with people with disabilities, and I thought pediatric neurology would be the best field to do that.”
Over 40% of the Class of 2025 chose a primary care residency, including internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, medicine-pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology.
Ryan Sholes will stay locally, too. He matched at Jefferson for anesthesiology. “I’m happy to spend another four years at Jefferson,” he says. “My family is here, and I got so comfortable with the faculty, hospital and system. I felt at home here.”
Heading to the University of Chicago Medical Center, classmate Arsalan Farooqi will pursue anesthesiology as well. The acute impact anesthesiologists can have on patient care drew him to the field.
Each member of the Class of 2025 had a story to tell on why they chose their specialty. For example, Alisha Goyal will head across the country to attend Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for internal medicine. She likes the mix of hospital and outpatient medicine, and with an interest in gastroenterology, Goyal says internal medicine will help build her clinical foundation.
Tomisola Onafowokan will attend the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for emergency medicine.
“I never want to be in a situation—inside or outside of a hospital—where someone is facing a life-threatening illness, and I’m not able to act,” she shares. “I feel like emergency medicine doctors are best equipped to handle anything anywhere.”
Drs. Charles Pohl and Said Ibrahim congratulated the Class of 2025 at the March 21 Match Day ceremony.
Also matching at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Christopher Garrick chose family medicine with an eye on preventative care and supporting the community.
“Being Puerto Rican, I want to bridge some of the barriers many patients have with accessing care,” he says.
In one of the day’s most emotional moments, Darren Drittel matched with her brother, Brian, at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He doesn’t attend Jefferson, so their parents split up to watch both Match Day ceremonies. The siblings FaceTimed each other to share the news.
“I cannot think of anything more comforting than going to the cafeteria next year and seeing my brother,” says Drittel, noting she chose internal medicine for her love of caring for the whole person. “I felt like internal medicine allowed me to do that to the best of my abilities.”
Tomisola Onafowokan (far left) chose emergency medicine for her specialty. “I never want to be in a situation—inside or outside of a hospital—where someone is facing a life-threatening illness, and I’m not able to act,” she says.
Among the early matches, Shreya Swaminathan will go to Mayo Clinic College of Medicine for ophthalmology. She likes the specialty’s mix of clinic and OR and the opportunity to build the patient-provider relationship over time.
The fact Swaminathan matched in February didn’t diminish her excitement either, she says. “It’s really special to see all my friends’ dreams come true.”
“It’s great to see everyone’s reaction,” agrees Taehwan Yoo, who participated in the early match with the military. He will go to Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital for family medicine. “It was the most versatile specialty I could choose to have the greatest contribution to our military.”
After the ceremony, students and their loved ones celebrated on Lubert Plaza.
Classmate Victor Diaz also matched early with the military. He will attend his No. 1 choice, Keesler Air Force Base, for internal medicine.
“It’s a blessing and a curse to have an interest in a little bit of everything,” he says. “Internal medicine is this great touchpoint where we get to interface with all sides of medicine in an acute and dynamic way in the inpatient setting.”
With the early matches (i.e., the military, ophthalmology and urology), Jefferson boasted one of the highest match rates nationally, Dr. Pohl says. Of students participating in the NRMP, the University’s match rate was 3% higher compared to all U.S. allopathic graduating seniors.
“You, the Class of 2025, will be forever etched in our minds,” he told them in the Connelly Auditorium. “Most of you started in the middle of the pandemic and your education overlapped with Jefferson’s Bicentennial. Unsurprisingly, you hit the ground running and exceeded all expectations with resolve and spirit. You made an impact on our patients, community and all of us at Sidney Kimmel Medical College. On behalf of Jefferson, we couldn’t be prouder of this class.”
Of 269 Sidney Kimmel Medical College students, 256 participated in the National Resident Matching Program. The remaining 13 students didn’t take part in the NRMP because of a commitment to one of the Armed Services, the ophthalmology match, the urology match or deferment of residency.