Here are the inspirational stories and dreams of some of our senior medical students as they approach the countdown to Match Day 2022. The event, taking place March 18 on Eugene McDermott Plaza, will reveal through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) where fourth-year medical students will serve their residencies. With Match Day held virtually the past two years due to the pandemic, this year’s group of students look forward to gathering in person again to open envelopes revealing the next step of their medical careers. A virtual stream will also be provided to those unable to attend.

From a student who persevered through a complex case of hip dysplasia to a former mail carrier who leveraged the encouragement of a client into a career in medicine, these are the inspiring stories of six medical students ahead of Match Day.

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Louise Atadja

Hometown: Acton, Massachusetts
Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery
Match: Orthopedic Surgery, Yale-New Haven Hospital, Connecticut

“Match Day was even more exciting than I could have hoped for. Opening the envelope surrounded by my family and friends and seeing my first choice, Yale, was an amazing moment I’ll always remember! The hard work and late nights paid off and it’s incredible to see it come to fruition! Exciting times up ahead.”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

My family is originally from a small village in Ghana, Africa, where there was no major hospital nearby. My grandfather decided to build a clinic where people could access medical care. He then went back to school and trained as a nurse so he could work more hands-on. My father is also in science, within cancer research. Both of these influences exposed me to science and medicine in my formative years while instilling the importance of serving others, especially in underserved populations.

Everything came full circle when I was faced with my own health challenges. I struggled with hip dysplasia – an abnormality of the hip joint preventing the thigh bone from properly connecting to the pelvis – and underwent multiple surgeries in my early adult years. The anatomy of my hip was so complex that my doctors printed a 3D model of it to explain the process to me. Here, I got to see the biomechanical complexity of the surgery and I just knew that orthopedics was for me.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?

As a former college athlete, my hip dysplasia diagnosis caused a major shift to my active lifestyle. I completed surgery on both hips – the second just a few weeks prior to starting medical school. That first semester was incredibly challenging. Without family in Dallas, my recoveries were made even more difficult. The experience helped me realize that you do not need to be a “superhero.” Ask for help when you need it, and take advantage of your resources and community.

What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?

I got the notification for my UTSW interview late in the game, while I was in Shanghai visiting family. I was torn on whether to fly back to the states. I ended up returning and it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Specifically, the support offered to me from Dawn Cureton, Director of the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion, was unparalleled. She put her hand on my shoulder and told me, “You got this,” before my interview. I felt so supported, which made a huge difference in my decision to attend UTSW. I felt that this was an environment that I could succeed in – which has proved true throughout my time here.

What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?

Women currently make up about 6.5% of practicing orthopedic surgeons in the United States, with even fewer being African American, and so I am really looking forward to adding to those numbers! I’ve been so grateful for my mentors who have always made me feel welcomed and supported. I hope to continue this legacy and pave the way for those like me who don’t fit the look of the traditional orthopedic surgeon. The privilege to actively be a part of “the fix,” to be involved with seeing a patient take steps that no one ever thought was possible or returning to excel in their sport of choice is an amazing opportunity that I can’t wait to be a part of.

 

Keri Janowiak

Hometown: Houston, Texas
Specialty: Pathology
Match: Pathology, Methodist Hospital, Houston

“It’s such a relief to finally know where I’ll be spending the next four years of my life, and I’m thrilled to be going home to Houston for the rest of my training at an outstanding program!”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

I’ve had a love for science my entire life. Initially, this led me to a career as a science teacher. When I started teaching anatomy and physiology everything changed – I became fascinated with the human body and how it works. There are so many things that can go wrong to cause disease, and I wanted to know more about all of them. This desire to learn more drove me to shadow doctors in clinics and emergency rooms. After that there was no turning back – I knew I had to become a doctor.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?

After 10 years of teaching, I had to learn how to be a student again. I had grown accustomed to being the expert in the room, always having knowledge to share. Medical school forced me out of my comfort zone. I had to accept that it was OK to not have all the answers, knowing that I would get there eventually. This shift in mentality was challenging at first, as was figuring out all the new technologies available to students nowadays that weren’t there when I was in college.

What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?

When UT Southwestern offered me early acceptance, I could not say no. From an educational standpoint, I could not imagine a better experience than the one at UT Southwestern. The Medical School helped us develop such strong foundational knowledge and then build off it with a diversity of educational opportunities to pursue our specific interests.

The faculty has been so supportive, and strong mentorship has helped me through every stage of my medical education. Especially during the pandemic, the leadership at UTSW has instilled a sense that we are all in this together, united in our desire to help others and become outstanding physicians.

What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?

“Pathology is a whole different world of medicine, and we barely get to scratch the surface during medical school. I can't wait to dive deeper into the mechanisms and effects of disease at the microscopic and molecular levels.”

 

Ahneesh Mohanty

Hometown: Plano, Texas
Specialty: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Match: Plastic Surgery, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor

“I feel elated and blessed to have matched to plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, which was my top choice. It was the perfect match for me.”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

I decided to become a physician because I wanted to help vulnerable people. I knew this from a young age because I was very sick as a child – I had Kawasaki disease. I was actually treated here at UT Southwestern by Matthew Lemler, M.D. I remember throughout this experience, even as a young child, being very appreciative of the fact that I had a whole team behind me, wanting me to get better. This is what really attracted me to the medical field. You work as a team to treat the vulnerabilities of people.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?

While in the brain and behavior block learning about dementia, my grandfather was progressing through the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease. It was difficult to learn this subject matter while seeing it firsthand in my personal life. As I was witnessing his decline, I was simultaneously studying the mechanisms of what was happening in his body. The experience centered me – it made me realize the importance of what I was doing. This really helped me gain perspective and remain focused on my goal of becoming a physician.

What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?

I became acquainted with UT Southwestern as a sophomore in high school when one of my good friends was diagnosed with lymphoma. I would come to his chemotherapy sessions and read scientific literature to get a better understanding of cancer. I came up with a potential application of one of the drugs that was being studied at UT Southwestern. I contacted several faculty members, as I had exhausted all the resources available to me. Michael Story, Ph.D., took me on. This experience showed me how willing the faculty were to teach and mentor learners no matter how junior or senior they are. The research opportunity also served me well as a high school science fair project!

What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?

I am looking forward to training in a field that offers patients an opportunity to rebuild their lives after periods of trauma. To me, that embodies the spirit and essence of healing.

 

Austin Moore

Hometown: Austin, Texas
Specialty:Pediatrics
Match: Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital, Boston

“I’m incredibly excited. It was exactly where I wanted to go – the research in Boston is amazing, I really enjoyed the feel of the program during my interview, and I get to be close to my fiancée, who moved to Boston just last year. I couldn’t be happier.”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

I’ve known for a very long time that I wanted to be a doctor. I remember saying as early as fifth grade that I wanted to be a pediatrician. Throughout my school years, I was always drawn to opportunities that involved science and helping people. This career path has felt natural to me every step of the way. I keep jokingly saying that I’m waiting to see if someone can talk me out of it – so far no one has. I feel very fortunate that my early passion has worked out so well for me.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge that I have faced is translating how my interests were best channeled into a career path. I have never faltered from pediatrics, but at times I was not sure exactly what road I wanted to take within the specialty. During medical school, I got really interested in research, completing a fellowship after my third year. This experience made me want to explore more research opportunities going forward. I ended up transferring into the M.D./Ph.D. program.

Making this pivot in my education was a challenge; it elongates the process, but I am very confident in my decision. I look forward to being a physician-scientist one day. I am particularly interested in pediatric oncology research.

What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?

There were two defining factors that put UT Southwestern at the top of my list. First, my interview day here stood out from the rest. I got the feeling that this organization was incredibly invested in each of their students and that the faculty members were very accessible. All of this turned out to be true.

Secondly, as someone who did not know exactly how I wanted to proceed in the pediatric specialty, UTSW allowed me the flexibility to explore. I never felt like I would run into any boundaries in my research or education here. If there is something you want to do or try, ask the administration and they will make it happen.

What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?

I think the relationships you build when taking care of pediatric patients are truly unmatched. You get to connect with not only the child but their family as well, and you get to support them throughout their lifetime. It is an exciting privilege and one that I am greatly looking forward to.

 

Clifford Rodgers

Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Specialty: Emergency Medicine
Match: Emergency Medicine, UT Southwestern

“Today I matched into my No. 1 choice and couldn’t be happier. This was not only a major accomplishment for myself, but for my family and the faculty who helped me achieve this goal. I feel blessed to have the honor to practice medicine and will continue to strive for greatness.”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

I worked as a mail carrier for six years prior to going to college. I had a customer who became an incredible mentor to me; he encouraged me to further my education. He believed that if, “you have the potential to do more in life, then you have an obligation to do it,” which really resonated with me.

Throughout college I worked as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) at UT Southwestern. By shadowing doctors, nurses, and physician assistants, I found out more about what I wanted to do in health care. Coming from an underserved community educated me on the need for competent and compassionate medical providers – especially in emergency medicine.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?

Managing the rigors of medical school while maintaining a healthy family life was my greatest challenge. I have a 13-year-old son – trying to balance fatherhood with my clinical duties and course load was no easy feat.

My support system is what got me through these challenges. They were my biggest asset throughout medical school. My fiancée, who is a nurse here at UT Southwestern, my son, and my family have all been incredibly supportive. Additionally, the faculty and staff here at UTSW really helped me progress through every step of this process.

What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?

UTSW was always at the top of my list because it is like a second home to me. I was actually born at the old Parkland Hospital. I worked here as a CNA and did research throughout college – so it was only natural that I complete medical school here as well.

The patient population at UTSW is largely from the same communities that I grew up in. So many of our patients come from South Dallas neighborhoods where I was raised. I knew I wanted to work with these communities in the future, which factored into my decision to study at UTSW.

What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?

I look forward to practicing medicine on the front line of health care. The emergency department is often the only way uninsured patients are seen and this can be a unique opportunity to address health disparities. I am excited to train as an emergency physician due to the unique mix of trauma, medical illnesses, and the social impact I can have on some of the most vulnerable patients.

 

Alejandro Rodriguez

Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Specialty: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Match: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UT Southwestern

“I feel fortunate to have matched at UT Southwestern , a program near my family that offers a broad range of exposure to PM&R in the state where I hope to practice. The cherry on top was learning that a lot of my friends were staying here too.”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

I was born in Michigan and raised in Mexico. When my family and I moved back to the United States, I did not know how to speak English – making school a challenge. However, I could always find solace in numbers as they are the same in Spanish and English. Naturally, this guided me toward math and science. I focused in on STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine), which exposed me to medicine.

Even through school, I did not know that I wanted to be a doctor. Rather, opportunities presented themselves as I became more and more skilled in the STEMM fields. I never hesitated to jump at these opportunities, and I am so grateful that they led me to where I am today.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your medical education and how did you overcome it?

Time management was a balance that I found challenging to strike. UT Southwestern provides you with so many opportunities for research, volunteerism, leadership, simulation experiences, and events in the community. There is so much happening that it can be overwhelming at times.

Many of my mentors would remind me that my priority was to become a physician. If an opportunity did not align with that, then I had the freedom to say “no.” This was a hard adjustment, as I was used to saying “yes” all the time.

What made you choose to attend UT Southwestern?

Going into medical school, I did not know what kind of doctor I wanted to become – so it was important for me to find a school where I would be offered exposure to the full repertoire of specialties. Between UT Southwestern and Parkland, students receive such broad experience that I knew I would be getting the most exposure here. Moreover, so many faculty members are leaders in their respective fields. At UT Southwestern, I was confident that I would receive the broadest exposure from those at the very top of each specialty.

What are you most looking forward to about training and practicing in your chosen specialty?

What I am most looking forward to in training in PM&R is that I will be working with residents and health care professionals who share similar interests. I want to learn as much as I can from people whom I will work with who have many more years of experience than me. I also look forward to being able to provide patient education and connections to resources in their communities that can lengthen not only their life span, but their health span.