Every year, on the third Friday of March, fourth-year medical students across the U.S. experience one of the most pivotal days of their medical education. On what is known as Match Day, medical students simultaneously learn where they will spend their residency training, marking the culmination of years of work and months of applications and interviews.
On Friday, March 15, fourth-year MD students from the Geisel School of Medicine gathered at the Lebanon Opera House to celebrate this exciting milestone event with family, friends, and members of the Geisel and Dartmouth communities.
After extending a warm welcome to everyone, Geisel Dean Duane Compton, PhD, expressed his gratitude to all who have offered their steadfast support to the Geisel Class of 2024 during their medical education journey.
“And to our students, I’m really impressed and humbled by your commitment to a career in helping others through medicine and healthcare,” said Compton.
“On behalf of everyone at Geisel and Dartmouth, I would like to be the first to formally congratulate you on your match today. We are very proud of each and every one of you and are excited to learn where you’re going to go next in your education and your careers.”
Dartmouth President Sian Beilock also congratulated the medical students on their achievements and taking the next steps of their medical careers. She also reminded them that they will always be part of the Dartmouth family.
Sharing his perspective on the medical school experience with the Class of 2024, faculty speaker Larry Myers, PhD, a professor of medical education and of biochemistry and cell biology, said, “It’s my experience that the opportunities that you discover by leaving yourself open to new directions are those which are really most impactful.
“While you’ve chosen a profession of service,” continued Myers, “that service will be most effective when you find joy in the process rather than the accomplishments. May you serve others through engaging in opportunities which bring you true fulfillment.”
As Match time neared, Amal Cheema ’24 and Kathleen Wilson ’24 delivered the Class Toast, offering words of gratitude, encouragement, and support. “To our loved ones here and on the livestream, to our mentors, patients, and supporters—we are so grateful, and we share this day with you,” said Cheema.
Wilson added, “No matter where you end up in residency or in life, I know you will all bring the amazing attributes that are inherent to who you are, and you will all make a difference in many people’s lives.”
At exactly noon, the students opened their envelopes—amid shouts of delight and excitement—learning the destinations of their residency programs. As part of a long-standing tradition at Geisel, they then proceeded to the stage to announce their match results and express their gratitude to those who have played a key role in their success.
Photos by Rob Strong and Derik Hertel
The Match® is an intense process in which medical students submit their choices of residencies through a computer program managed by the National Resident Matching Program. Residency programs also submit lists of applicants in order of preference. The lists are then compared against each other using the NRMP’s computer algorithm, matching students to their residency program.
According to the American Medical Association, this year’s Match saw record numbers of registered applicants (more than 50,000) and total positions offered (41,403).
Top destination states for Geisel students included Massachusetts, California, and New York, with internal medicine, general surgery, and anesthesiology accounting for the most popular residency programs for this class.
Geisel’s Class of 2024 matched into some of the top residency programs in the country—including Yale-New Haven Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Michigan Hospital, University of California San Francisco, New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, Mount Sinai Hospital (NY), Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, and others. The 2024 Match list is available here (NetID required).
You can watch the full Match Day 2024 event video below.
