Each year, Match Day marks the culmination of years of rigorous study, clinical rotations, and countless hours of preparation as fourth-year medical students reach an education milestone. On Friday, March 21, at 11 a.m. Dallas time, more than 50,000 students nationwide simultaneously opened envelopes to reveal where they will spend the next phase of their medical careers after graduating in May.

During this pivotal moment, loved ones, friends, faculty, and staff anxiously gathered with UT Southwestern Medical School’s Class of 2025 in the Bryan Williams, M.D. Student Center gymnasium to share their excitement as students prepare to transition to physicians.

UTSW students matched into 29 different specialties at hospitals across the U.S., where they will put their medical school training into action to help patients and refine their skills across various specialties. Many will also advance research to lead to better treatments and, hopefully, cures.

• Read this year’s student spotlight stories
• See the complete list of student matches by specialty

Angela Mihalic, M.D., Dean of Medical Students, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and Professor of Pediatrics, admires the students’ dedication to advancing their medical knowledge, refining their communication skills, and cultivating empathy to deliver high-quality patient care.

“Today we honor our medical students who have achieved their long-awaited goals and learned where they will apply their clinical knowledge and skills in their future medical specialty,” Dr. Mihalic said. “It is thrilling to have had the opportunity over the past four years to watch them develop as clinicians and find their passion within medicine, and then finally achieve their aspirations. I wish them the best as they continue to develop expertise to positively impact countless patients in communities everywhere.”

Joining students to wish them ongoing success were Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., President of UT Southwestern; W. P. Andrew Lee, M.D., Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost, and Dean of the Medical School; Sherry Huang, M.D., Vice Provost and Senior Associate Dean for Education; and other academic leaders and mentors.

For 2025, the top five residency specialties selected by UT Southwestern students were:

1. Internal Medicine
2. Family Medicine
3. Pediatrics
4. Anesthesiology
5. Emergency Medicine

The Class of 2025 looks forward to facing new challenges and opportunities on the front lines of medicine and discovery.

“Match Day is an exciting day for our students,” said Sarah Baker, M.D., Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry. “It has been such a joy to watch their growth throughout their time at UT Southwestern and to be a part of their paths in medicine. I am eager to see all the great things they will accomplish as they move forward in their careers.”

Norberto Rodriguez-Baez, M.D., Associate Dean for Student Affairs in the Office of Student Empowerment and Engagement and Professor of Pediatrics, sees a bright future for graduating students as they enter a field where their compassion, empathy, and dedication will redefine the essence of healing.

“I am incredibly proud of the Class of 2025 and truly honored to be part of this special occasion,” Dr. Rodriguez-Baez said. “Today, we celebrate all our students have achieved and the incredible potential they hold to make a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve. They won’t simply follow the path laid out by others – they will be the driving force that reshapes the meaning of health justice.”

Each year, fourth-year medical students in the U.S. participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), which oversees a highly structured interview process that uses an algorithm to match the preferences of students with those of residency programs. This year, 52,498 active applicants participated in the Main Residency Match, according to the NRMP. Students learn of their placements on Match Day, which is celebrated with events on medical school campuses across the country.

Of the 222 students in the Class of 2025 who matched, 75 will complete their residencies at UTSW, 42 will train at other Texas institutions, and the rest will disperse to top institutions throughout the U.S. As UTSW alumni, this next generation of physicians and scientists will share a lifelong bond with one another and with the institution.

“This is a day of singular importance in all of medical training and stands out in the memory of faculty, even decades after their own Match Day,” said Blake Barker, M.D., Associate Dean of Students and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine. “The journey to Match Day begins when students prepare to apply to medical school. During medical school, they spend countless days, nights, and weekends studying and working in hospitals, clinics, and laboratories to prepare them for residency. Finally, on Match Day, students celebrate together as their years of dreams and efforts are reflected in the results contained in an envelope. We are immensely proud of the Class of 2025 and look forward to seeing their achievements continue throughout residency and beyond.”