For senior medical students at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, it’s the day they’ve been waiting four years to celebrate.  One by one, the class of 2023 opened envelopes that told their futures during Match Day 2023.

The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Class of 2023.

MCOM has proven time and time again there is no medical school in the country that celebrates Match Day like MCOM.  Friends, families, husbands, wives, and even a few pets gather at Ulele, a popular restaurant on the Hillsborough River.  This year’s theme was “Luck of the Match,” a perfect theme considering the day.

Charles Lockwood, MD, MHCM, USF Health executive vice president and Morsani College of Medicine dean, kicked off the event by telling the families and friends the importance of the day. “This is an incredibly important moment for them.  It sets the stage for the next stage of their career, and they’ve worked incredibly hard to get here.”

Charles Lockwood, MD, MHCM, USF Health executive vice president and Morsani College of Medicine dean.

At MCOM, it pays to be last place.  The long-standing tradition is that every student who gets called to the stage has to donate one dollar to a pot of money.   The last student to be called to read their match will go home with the pot of money.  This year’s lucky winner was Lauren Linkowski, who is headed to the University of Pennsylvania for residency.

Lauren Linkowski.

The national match process is handled through the National Residency Match Program (NRMP).  Students apply and interview for residencies with institutions across the country, then rank their preferences.  Match Day is when students learn which residency programs chose them and where they will train for the next three to seven years.

Match Day is held simultaneously at all medical schools across the country to reveal where senior medical students will spend their residency years, the first stop in their journey as doctors.

Nationally, 42,952 certified applicants applied for 40,375 residency positions. More information about national statistics can be found at https://www.nrmp.org/match-data-analytics/residency-data-reports/

MCOM Match Day by the numbers: http://bit.ly/3ZV91gD

• 180 students graduating.
• 44% will participate in residency programs in Florida.
• 36 will participate in residency program at MCOM.
• 34% entering a primary care residency.
• 7 will participate in residency programs Lehigh Valley Health Network.
• 3 will graduate to become military doctors.

The class of 2023 will complete their medical school journey at their graduation ceremony May 11 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.

More images from Match Day 2023: