A dual Match Day-Giving Day marks a momentous step for medical students while bolstering UMass Chan donor support

Key milestones mark the long path to becoming a physician. Among the most anticipated, Match Day is when graduating medical students nationwide discover where they will continue their training as residents. As tradition dictates, residency placements are kept top secret each year until noon ET on the third Thursday in March. This year, 149 fourth-year students at the T.H. Chan School of Medicine gathered in the Medical School lobby on March 17 with friends, family and faculty to experience the occasion together.

At the stroke of noon, students tore open blue envelopes to discover which medical institution will play a defining role in their careers—and mostly expressed signs of relief and joy.

Graduating medical student Megan Hansen matched in internal medicine at Duke University Medical Center. Hansen chose to attend UMass Chan to become a physician who not only cares for her patients, but also advocates for systems that promote health and well-being for everyone. 

“Growing up in Kansas, I frequently saw my grandparents, who lived in a rural part of the state, drive several hours for medical care. I learned that something as arbitrary as a county line between the richest and poorest counties in the state could predict health outcomes better than any other metric,” Hansen said.

The National Resident Matching Program uses a complex algorithm to pair graduating medical students with  residency programs. Reflecting UMass Chan’s mission to train primary care physicians, 66 students matched in internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics, representing 44 percent of the Class of 2023. Fourteen students are going into obstetrics and gynecology and 10 into emergency medicine. Sixty-one class members will complete some
or all of their residency training in Massachusetts, including 26 staying at UMass Chan campuses.

This year, Match Day coincided with T. H. Chan School of Medicine Giving Day, a one-day fundraising campaign, raising more than $165,000 through direct mail, email, phone, text and social media appeals. Gift matches funded by generous alumni and parents helped to propel the day’s momentum.

Giving Day donors joined in the Match Day excitement by leaving words of wisdom and encouragement for the fourth-years. Lien Do, MD’00, wrote to students, “You should all be so proud of the brilliant work and dedication you have put in. Now starts an even more exciting phase. There will be challenging moments when you question your decision, but trust yourself. You can do it!”

On supporting UMass Chan, Dr. Do said, “UMass Chan not only gave me so much as a medical student, but also lifelong connections as friends and colleagues. I’m happy to give back by supporting future generations of aspiring physicians.”