Several years of hard work and fond memories are leading up to Match Day, the milestone moment when graduating medical students of the Class of 2024 find out where they will continue their medical careers as newly minted M.D.s. The momentous event takes place March 15 in the Bryan Williams, M.D. Student Center gymnasium as students across the nation simultaneously open envelopes and learn where the National Resident Matching Program places them after earning their medical degrees. In advance of the exciting occasion, eight medical students share the inspiring stories of their UTSW experiences and career aspirations. For those unable to attend Match Day in person, a virtual stream will be provided.

From one student who chose to pursue medicine after witnessing his mother’s battle with breast cancer to another who left a software career to become an anesthesiologist following a personal health journey, learn more about this representative group of classmates’ passions and dreams for the future.

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Dylan Beams

Hometown: Frisco, Texas
Specialty: Otolaryngology – head and neck surgery
Matched: UT Southwestern

“I’m beyond thrilled to be staying at UT Southwestern for my residency training! Being surrounded by my family, friends, mentors, and loved ones when I opened my envelope made today such an incredible experience. This is a moment that I will forever treasure.”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

My family will likely tell you that I have wanted to be a doctor since I was 5 years old. However, it wasn’t until I saw my mother battle breast cancer when I was a teenager that I really understood what it meant to be a physician. I witnessed firsthand the impact of surgical medicine as both a means of healing and restoring identity and quality of life. This left me with a strong desire to offer that kind of holistic care as a surgeon to patients of my own.

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

Starting medical school during the COVID-19 pandemic was incredibly difficult. Trying to understand where my interests in vocal performance, the communication sciences, community engagement, and health equity fit into my future in medicine was made even more challenging because of these circumstances. Ultimately, working with the UTSW Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery allowed me to explore these interests at both the bedside as I cared for patients, as well as at a national level through research that led me to pursue this specialty as my future career.

What made you choose to attend UTSW?

I grew up in North Texas and knew of UT Southwestern’s reputation for producing excellent physicians and offering world-class health care. My desire to earn my medical degree here was solidified after meeting Angela Mihalic, M.D., UTSW’s Dean of Medical Students, at a pre-health honor society event at my undergraduate institution. Two weeks later at my UTSW interview, I heard a voice call my name from across the room during a dinner reception. It was Dr. Mihalic. She took the time to check in on me and made me feel so welcome alongside the rest of the faculty and staff. This kind of intentionality and support was so special and has been something that I have continued to feel during my journey here as a medical student.

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

I am most excited about caring for patients and serving as an advocate for historically marginalized communities. As a Native American, I am particularly interested in directly addressing the high rates of chronic ear issues, head and neck cancers, and cleft lip and cleft palate diagnoses that exist within indigenous communities as a means of promoting health equity. I also have a strong desire to work with professional voice users by caring for their vocal health. One day when I look back on my career, I hope to have been a part of helping other aspiring health care professionals realize their own dreams through mentorship.

 

William Burton

Hometown: Longview, Texas
Specialty: Psychiatry
Matched: UT Southwestern

“I am so, so thrilled and beyond thankful to be staying at UT Southwestern for psychiatry residency! It’s nearly impossible to capture the feeling of Match Day in just a sentence, so I’ll just say that I haven’t stopped smiling yet and don’t think I will any time soon.”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

In high school, I started volunteering at a children’s home in Guatemala as a translator. The home mainly cared for kids who had HIV from birth and dropped out of school to care for a mother dying of AIDS or to escape bullying from classmates or even teachers. Right before I started college, I found myself thinking about the physicians who cared for those kids, managing their illness and their experience surrounding illness, and I was captivated. I changed from pre-business to pre-med a week or so before registering for classes, and everything fell into place after that.

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

I think many come into medical school hearing about the infamous impostor syndrome, but I never necessarily felt that I “didn’t belong” here. What I did struggle with, especially during clerkships, was feeling like my efforts weren’t being rewarded or that I wasn’t remarkable or impressive. The truth is that it is hard to feel remarkable when surrounded by so many remarkable faculty and classmates, but I just reminded myself that I did not come to medical school to be impressive. I came to learn and grow and be a source of good in my patients’ lives, and I knew I was doing all those things. It didn’t make the process easy, but it did get me through it.

What made you choose to attend UTSW?

What impressed me most about UT Southwestern was that it refuses to rest on its laurels. Throughout my interview process, I paid attention to how each medical school seemed to view itself and what it had to offer. There were plenty of historically excellent institutions, but UTSW seemed to be dedicated to continued growth and remaining deserving of its reputation. The construction, renovation, and innovation I saw nearly everywhere I looked reassured me of the quality of training I would get here.

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

I believe psychiatry is the medical art of understanding and supporting humanity, and it is also an opportunity for me to dedicate myself to a career in kindness. I am really looking forward to discovering my personal style as a physician and finally becoming an expert in something. Specific to psychiatry, I am most excited to learn psychotherapy. The concept of healing through communication fascinates me and is one of the things that drew me to the field. Good communication is important in any medical specialty, but psychiatry is unique in its use of artful conversation as an evidence-based form of treatment, and I find that so special.

 

Ambrie Davis

Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Specialty: Psychiatry
Matched: Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, California

“Match day was a whirlwind of emotions I did not expect. It was great to see my friends be so excited at where/what they matched. We all worked very hard to get here. I am so excited to move to LA this summer!”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

I developed an early interest in medicine as a child when I accompanied my mom to her nursing courses. What she learned interested me, and she encouraged me to become a doctor! I have always been an outgoing, curious, and studious person who works best as the idealist and leader of a team. During my undergraduate and graduate public health work with the Texas Department of State Health Services: Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force, I saw that as a physician I could address the big questions I had about society’s impact on individuals’ health and help people along the way.

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

As a nontraditional student who just finished my master’s degree in public health, it was quite difficult to transition back into the medical sciences. I changed how I studied and learned to think about the material in a way I was not accustomed to. I was able to do this with support from Student Academic Support Services, which was instrumental in my success. Now I can give back through the same service that helped me as a tutor in several preclinical courses.

What made you choose to attend UTSW?

I chose UT Southwestern for a multitude of reasons. One, I wanted to attend a medical school where I would be challenged. Two, I knew I would be surrounded by motivated and passionate individuals who would push me to do my best. Three, I have always wanted to live in Dallas.

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

I am most looking forward to working with like-minded individuals who share the same passion and care for an often-overlooked population. I want to have difficult discussions and do meaningful work that will not only impact my individual patients, but also address systemic issues that can improve the lives of individuals I might never encounter clinically. After residency, I plan to complete a forensic fellowship and practice as a forensic psychiatrist in a state hospital system. I have a passion for working with underserved populations suffering from serious mental illness, specifically psychosis and personality disorders. I also hope to address structural issues that exacerbate mental illness through advocacy and policy work.

 

Avery Hager

Hometown: Houston, Texas
Specialty: Internal medicine
Matched: University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor

“I'm so grateful to have been surrounded by my friends and family on Match Day when I found out I matched to the University of Michigan for Internal Medicine! I couldn't imagine a happier day, and I'll remember it for years to come.”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

I developed a desire to work with vulnerable populations early in life. I come from a background of financial insecurity in which my family often had difficulty accessing health care and other necessities. It is because of these challenges that I have a deeply held desire to pursue a career that would allow me to work with those experiencing similar barriers. In college, I discovered that I enjoyed both the science of life and the psychology of how we experience life. My love for these topics, coupled with my past experiences, led me to pursue a career as a physician.

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

My biggest challenge during medical school has been making time for my hobbies and passions outside of medicine. During my third year, I made a concentrated effort to make time for the things I love. I scheduled my hobbies and treated them as if they were jobs of their own, and I would decline meeting invites, work shifts, or any other responsibilities during the times I blocked out. This really helped me remember who I was outside of medicine.

What made you choose to attend UTSW?

I was so excited when I received my acceptance to UT Southwestern! I was initially drawn to the stellar clinical education provided here and the opportunity to rotate at both a tertiary care center and a county safety net hospital. On interview day, I was overwhelmed by the warmth and kindness of the administration, coordinators, and even my interviewers. It felt like everyone was genuinely excited to welcome us into the UTSW family, and I’ve felt that way ever since.

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

I am so happy to have chosen a career in internal medicine in which I can care for patients acutely and on a longitudinal basis. I am most looking forward to developing meaningful therapeutic relationships with my patients and working with the other members of their team to ensure that they get the best care possible. In my career, my primary goal is to work with the uninsured and those experiencing homelessness and to play a part in making medicine a more welcoming and accessible place for these patients. I also want to work at an academic institution with others who are passionate about increasing access to health care and to help decrease the stigma surrounding homelessness and lack of insurance.

 

Vanessa Ramirez-Allen

Hometown: Houston, Texas
Specialty: Anesthesiology
Matched: Northwestern University/McGaw Medical Center, Illinois

“Match Day truly felt like the culmination of a dream. After a career change and years of hard work, opening that envelope to discover I matched at my dream program was priceless. It was such a privilege to share that moment with my family, friends and UT Southwestern mentors. It is a day I will never forget.”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

I decided to pursue a career in medicine after a personal health journey made me realize that I was passionate about a holistic approach to human health. I wanted to take my experiences as a patient and apply them to my patients, especially those with disability and/or chronic illness, with the goal of becoming a patient advocate.

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

Medicine is a second career for me, and the transition from working at a software company to being back in the classroom and hospital was a challenging one. I had to adapt to being a student again, and I had to constantly remind myself that I was learning and doing my best. I set my mind to grow and change a bit each day, and I learned to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. When the stakes were acceptable, I pushed myself, but I also asked for help when they weren’t. This mindset will be invaluable moving forward in my training.

What made you choose to attend UTSW?

I chose UT Southwestern for medical school because I wanted to start my training at an institution that would provide the broadest exposure possible. UTSW has high volumes and diverse patient cases across all specialties and provides countless opportunities for research, advocacy, and community service. I knew that attending UTSW would ensure that I made informed career decisions based on broad exposure and tons of opportunity during medical school.

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

Anesthesiologists have the unique opportunity to put patients at ease and advocate for them during their most vulnerable times. As an anesthesiologist, I look forward to building rapport with my patients as they prepare for various procedures. In my career, I hope to work with diverse populations and caseloads with an emphasis on pain management. I hope to manage my patients’ pain and anxiety during both acute and chronic periods. I am passionate about continuing to use my Spanish to care for Spanish-speaking patients throughout the perioperative period. Lastly, I would love to continue my advocacy work for individuals with disabilities in health care.

 

Nicholas Sevey

Hometown: Coahoma, Texas
Specialty: Med-Peds
Matched: UT Southwestern

“I’m beyond grateful to continue my Med-Peds journey with UT Southwestern! It was such a proud moment on Match Day to see where my classmates and I will spend the next several years doing incredible things!”

What does Match Day mean to you?

Why did you decide to become a physician?

Growing up in a family of nurses, I always felt destined for health care in some regard. Some of my fondest memories as a child were hearing about all the patients my family cared for in their combined 100-plus years of experience. Together, they instilled in me an appreciation for the human condition while emphasizing the unique privilege of helping others through the most difficult parts of their lives. The more I learned about health care, the more I fell in love with tackling the complex puzzles that physicians get to solve every day. After my journey to medicine detoured through education as a science teacher, I realized that I wanted to be a physician dedicated to providing the highest quality of care to our most vulnerable communities.

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

Medical school showed me just how difficult accessing and navigating our health care system can be, even under the best circumstances. Under the worst circumstances, it can feel downright impossible. However, I’ve learned that health care is a team sport in every aspect. With every obstacle that comes up, there are people ready to move mountains so that patients and their families get the care and follow-up they need and deserve.

What made you choose to attend UTSW?

I was sold on UT Southwestern by the end of interview day. While a top-notch training environment and exposure to cutting-edge medicine were certainly expected, how I was treated from the moment I stepped onto campus made an even bigger impact on my decision. I felt welcomed, wanted, and supported by everyone – from students to faculty – and UTSW immediately felt like a place where I could grow into the physician I wanted to be. Four years later, I still believe it was the best decision I ever made.

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

From treating newborns to the elderly, I want to be equipped to help patients at any stage of life with any problem that arises. The cross-pollination that internal medicine and pediatrics training provides will prepare me to do just that. Through a career in med-peds, I look forward to cultivating the unique collection of knowledge, skills, and context needed to address the ever-changing needs of an evolving patient population. During medical school, I realized that my professional home is in the hospital taking care of some of our sickest individuals. Yet as a former teacher, I find it difficult to separate my background in education from my aspirations in medicine. I hope to combine these passions through medical education where I can make a direct impact on the next generation of physicians and the communities they will serve.

 

COUPLE SPOTLIGHT

Accomplishing goals, together

In 2020, Lilly Carter and Stanton Heydinger met at a UTSW Class of 2024 happy hour to kick off the beginning of their first year in medical school. They became fast friends and soon began dating. On March 15, they will celebrate their achievements together and hope their residencies will match at the same institution.

“It has been fun experiencing medical school together,” Ms. Carter said. “We faced a unique challenge of applying to specialties that use different match systems, and we attempted to ‘couples match’ outside of the traditional system. This has been challenging to find overlapping interviews and work with various program directors, but we have received so much support through the medical school and with faculty from our individual departments. One advantage is that we get to celebrate two separate Match Days!”

“It was such a wonderful experience with friends and family. We are thrilled to have matched together at UMMC.”

What does Match Day mean to you?

 

Lilly Carter

Hometown: Argyle, Texas
Specialty: Psychiatry
Matched: University of Mississippi Medical Center Hospitals, Jackson

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Why did you decide to become a physician?

From a young age, my family instilled in me a passion for creating an inclusive environment and building a sense of community. As a result, I have always had a desire to promote the development of well-being and self-esteem in others. I became interested in medicine because of the ability to create long-lasting positive changes through a humanistic discipline. As a physician, I knew I would be able to help people function and thrive individually and within their communities. To me, medicine was the best platform to foster skills and accomplish these goals.

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

Remaining true to myself and my personal goals has been the most challenging part of medical school. As students, it can be easy to let the ideals of perfectionism and prestige obscure our true passion about what makes medicine meaningful to us. It is also easy to let external voices decrease our confidence, influence our choices, or hinder our personal development. I overcame this through the constant support of family, friends, and UTSW’s administration. I choose to look at each day as an opportunity to grow and explore, which helps me remain confident in my decisions and removes the pressure of chasing paths that I know are not my own.

What made you choose to attend UTSW?

My dream has always been to attend UT Southwestern for medical school, near my family and friends. With elevated training facilities, distinguished faculty, and an innovative curriculum, opportunities here are endless. My education at UTSW has exceeded my expectations, and I feel confident in my abilities as I move forward into residency.

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

I think the beauty of psychiatry and the treatment of psychiatric conditions is its life-altering impact. I am most looking forward to witnessing the change in my patients over time. It would be incredible to help patients go from a place where they may not even be able to take care of themselves to a place where they can thrive in community and function in a way that is individually meaningful. I hope to remain in academic medicine in an area where there is a great need for physicians, especially psychiatrists. My desire is to work primarily with individuals with bipolar disorder and complex mood disorders and conduct research in these areas to improve health literacy and medical education. Along with these career goals, I am excited to create a healthy work-life balance and prioritize my friends and family.

 

Stanton Heydinger

Hometown: Kansas City, Kansas
Specialty: Ophthalmology
Matched: University of Mississippi Medical Center Hospitals, Jackson (Preliminary-Internal Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center Hospitals, Jackson)

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Why did you decide to become a physician?

I was inspired to become a physician after one of my parents underwent significant medical trauma when I was very young. I quickly learned how important access to health care is and how impactful a physician’s role can be. I was specifically introduced to eye care and inspired by a great mentor in high school to pursue ophthalmology. I believe that vision is an incredible gift and I am passionate to pursue a field where I may be able to help someone preserve or restore it.

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

The biggest challenge that I faced during my medical education was adapting to learning and living in an isolated virtual world. Our class began medical school in 2020 during the peak of the pandemic. At that time, I was beginning a rigorous endeavor in a new place while also moving across the country on my own. I am grateful to have made some close friends during the earliest days of medical school who have been by my side throughout the entire way. Medical school can be a very difficult experience, both mentally and physically, and it would have been even more difficult to make it through without the support of great friends and family.

What made you choose to attend UTSW?

I chose UT Southwestern to challenge myself both personally and academically. I wanted to be at a medical school where I would get a great education while also being encouraged to escape my comfort zone. I truly believe there is no other medical school that empowers students to be as hands-on and involved as UTSW. From day one, I have had the ability and support to explore all my interests within the field of medicine. I have been blessed to be a very active learner within the clinical setting, present several meaningful research projects, and join many leadership organizations throughout campus.

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

I aspire to become a well-rounded physician who can positively impact those around me within the clinical setting and in my personal life. I am passionate about access to medical care and health literacy and hope to pursue training in an area with a significantly underserved population. I believe that my time at UTSW has allowed me to understand what is most important for my future and help shape my goals. Throughout my career, I hope to maintain a balance in my life that allows me to be a safety net in my community while also prioritizing my friends and family.