Photo: Hallie Leo
T.H. Chan School of Medicine students Colin Stoll and Suhas Suddala in UMass Chan Medical School’s Class of 2026 have successfully matched into their top choice military residency programs at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
“Matching into internal medicine at Walter Reed is an incredible honor,” said Stoll, who was inspired to join the U.S. Navy by the legacy of his grandparents’ military service. “I’m eager to train alongside physicians who are leaders in medicine and military service, and I’m deeply grateful to continue training in a mission-driven environment, caring for those who serve our country.”
“UMass Chan provided a rigorous clinical education grounded in patient-centered care and systems-based thinking. I feel well prepared for the demands of residency,” said Stoll, who grew up in Woodstock, Illinois, and studied psychology at the University of Notre Dame. “UMass Chan fostered my interest in leadership and service, which is essential for my career in military medicine.”
Suddala, who is an MD/MBA student, will do his residency training in anesthesia at Walter Reed.
“I was drawn to medicine because of the trust and relationships at the center of patient care. Growing up, I saw how distrust of hospitals keeps people, especially in South Asian communities, from seeking care until they are very sick,” said Suddala, who was born in Huzurabad, India, and grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts.
“UMass Chan’s dual MD/MBA program helped me think more critically about health care operations, leadership and systems-level problem-solving,” Suddala said. “Physicians see where care works well and where systems fall short and can help drive meaningful change for patients.”
The U.S. Navy appealed to Suddala because of its versatility and breadth of service. He’s eager to practice in humanitarian missions on hospital ships and in operational environments alongside pilots, U.S. Marines and joint service units.
“I’m excited to care for a unique patient population: active-duty service members, veterans, government leaders and their families,” said Suddala, a William & Mary alum who majored in psychology and business. “Military physicians don’t always have access to the same resources as large tertiary care centers, so in anesthesiology and critical care you have to be ready for the worst-case scenario. One of my mentors set up an ICU in the middle of nowhere to stabilize his patient. These unique experiences motivate me to serve.”
Suddala and Stoll will be promoted from U.S. Navy ensigns to lieutenants in May during the award ceremony for the T.H. Chan School of Medicine and will be interns together in Maryland.
Graduating UMass Chan medical students who are participating in the National Resident Matching Program will simultaneously open letters on March 20 to discover where they’ll begin their residencies.
