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Match Day 2026 was celebrated on Friday, March 20, at 11 a.m. in the gym of the Bryan Williams, M.D. Student Center.

In a singular moment, each student feverishly opens an envelope that reveals their future - their residency program, their specialty, and their new home for the next several years or more. Leading up to this momentous occasion, students complete three challenging but rewarding years dutifully learning both the science and art of how to care for patients, while exploring various specialties. In the fourth year, they begin to chart their own path and their vision of their future as a physician begins to take shape. After both Residency Programs and students submit their preferences, they are "matched" together. However, these are kept secret and only revealed simultaneously across the country on that third Friday in March when all together, medical students, cherished faculty, family, and friends peer into that envelope at exactly 11 a.m. and CELEBRATE!!!

Relive the Magic: Match Day 2026

2026 Student Spotlights

Hannah Chang student spotlight

"I dream of becoming an excellent pediatric dermatologist who blends clinical care with research and teaching. I hope to help build a more compassionate and equitable world for children living with skin disease."

Hannah Chang Specialty: Dermatology
Emilia Chapa student spotlight

"I hope to practice full-scope family medicine in an underserved urban community, with a focus on women’s health. I hope to care for patients while also teaching, engaging in community public health work, and advocating for policies that reduce stigma and ensure equitable access to care."

Emilia Chapa Specialty: Family medicine
Zuhair Hawa student spotlight

"I aim to be at the forefront of brain-computer interface development – whether in an academic lab or with a medical technology company – creating devices that restore natural movement to patients who have lost it."

Zuhair Hawa Specialty: Neurosurgery
Jennie Hocking student spotlight

"My dream job would allow me to split my time working, teaching, and conducting research at an urban academic safety-net hospital like Parkland and doing locums (temporary or short-term clinical work) at rural facilities."

Jennie Hocking, M.P.A.S. Specialty: Anesthesiology
Ayomide Osunjimi student spotlight

"I look forward to supporting patients and families during their most difficult days, and I strive to be a physician who is worthy of their trust. Most of all, I hope my patients feel seen, understood, and cared for."

Ayomide Osunjimi Specialty: Internal medicine
Michael Pitonak student spotlight

"I look forward to becoming a physician who listens deeply, seeks knowledge relentlessly, and walks alongside patients through every step of their journey."

Michael Pitonak Specialty: Internal medicine
Peter Chan student spotlight

"Outside of clinical medicine, I am passionate about education, mentorship, and research. I would love to work in an academic practice where I can teach and mentor trainees at all levels."

Peter Chan Specialty: Orthopedic surgery
Sara Papp student spotlight

"My dream is to practice anesthesiology in an academic setting where patient care, research, teaching, and mentorship remain central parts of my career."

Sara Papp Specialty: Anesthesiology
 
 

2026 Match Day Stories

Celebrate on Social

Follow all the Match Day coverage on social media by using the hashtags #UTSWMatch and #Match2026. To be promoted by our institutional handles, please tag @UTSWedu or #UTSWMatch on X, Instagram, and Facebook.

A Message from the Dean

Headshot of Angela Mihalic, M.D.

Angela Mihalic, M.D.

  • Professor, Pediatrics
  • Dean of Medical Students and Associate Dean for Student Affairs
  • Applied Intelligence: Integrating AI Technologies Into Health Professions Education
  • angela.mihalic@utsouthwestern.edu

UT Southwestern is incredibly proud of our medical students and their success in the Match year after year. Thanks to the talent and hard work of our student body, along our rich clinical training experiences, commitment to excellence, and firm foundation of medical knowledge, program directors value the level of preparation our students possess as they transition into residency training.

UT Southwestern has dedicated faculty who serve as specialty advisors and support career exploration starting the first week of medical school and extend throughout with broad opportunities for shadowing, research, electives, and advanced rotations to prepare each student for the next phase of training. I am proud to work alongside our other Associate Deans for Student Affairs, Drs. Blake Barker, Sarah Baker, and Norberto Rodriguez-Baez to support the students through this journey of self-discovery, development of clinical acumen, and fostering their compassion and commitment to serve others. We have enormous pride knowing that each and every one will make a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of countless patients and their communities throughout the nation.