Graduating from medical school is a milestone that marks the beginning of an exciting journey, where one is equipped with the knowledge and skills to make a difference in people's lives. It's a momentous occasion, filled with a sense of pride, accomplishment, and anticipation for what lies ahead. However, after graduating from medical school, students must complete a residency program before practicing medicine. Each year on the third Friday of March, it is announced to medical students where they will be fulfilling their residency. 

This year, Match Day falls on March 15. The whole week is filled with excitement. March 11 is a day when students find out if they were matched. On March 15, students will find out where they were matched. That is what is officially known as Match Day. 

Match Day is a day that medical students anticipate with much excitement. It determines much of what they will do during their residency. What other kinds of issues does this determine? Here are some facts about Match Day, and reasons why it is such an important day for qualified graduates of medical school.

Match Day Determines Your Career Path
Finding out where you are matched means finding out where you will spend the next few years of your training. This means a match where you will find opportunities for your specialization. Each location has specific strengths, and this can help you choose your specialization. Match Day will contribute to your specialization choice, as well as the molding and creating of your career overall. 

Match Day Determines Where You Will Live
This is likely one of the most important aspects of Match Day. You could be placed or “matched” anywhere in the U.S. and U.S. Territories. This could make a difference in your life in so many ways. If you are married and have a family this could mean a huge change for your family. If you’d like to choose where you live, you will have to wait until you have been matched with your residency. It is a crucial part of that decision.

What is Involved in the Process of Finding a Match?
An algorithm is used in the process of matching medical students to their residencies. The NMRP (National Resident Matching Program) matches students with programs that meet their preferences while considering their rankings among other applicants.

Although students begin to apply for residencies during their last year of medical school, the introduction to residency programs begins during clinicals. Medical students are introduced to all fields of medical practice while in medical rotation, so this helps them get an idea of what field they’d like to pursue. 

Qualified for Residency
Match Day is ultimately the culmination of years of hard work. It is a sign of being a well-rounded match applicant as it is an honor to receive a match. The transition from being a medical student to being a resident physician means the beginning of hands-on training in your specialty.

Impact on Patient Care
One of the important reasons that Match Day is significant is that where medical students are placed for their resident programs has a great impact on the community and patient care. 

There are Three Steps to the Match Process

• Application to Residency Programs

Students begin the application process by filling out their personal information, school background, and identifying info. Students should determine which residency programs they should apply to based on specialty choice, US IMG-friendly programs, and location. Some students apply to as few as 100 programs and as many as 300 programs. 

• Interviewing

Programs contact applicants, based on their profile, for interviews. 

• Creating the ROL (Rank Order List)

The culmination of this process is the creation of the ROLs. These are the rank order lists for both students and the resident programs. The National Resident Matching Program (NMRP) generates the Resident's Rank Order List (ROL) electronically. It accurately combines medical students' preferences with the best-fit resident programs.

What you need to Apply
There are several items you need to submit when applying to a program. Some of these include:

• CV
• Medical School Transcripts
• Medical Student Performance Evaluation
• Personal Statement
• USMLE Exam Transcripts
• Letters of Recommendation

Conclusion
Match Day is a time of immense celebration! It is a time when all the hard work that students have put in during medical school culminates into a future in medicine. Match Day signifies the pursuit of specialization in medicine and a real fit with each medical student. Ultimately, Match Day has a major impact on communities. It means that healthcare facilities will be staffed with resident physicians who are passionate about their pursuits and able to help provide high-quality medical care in their community.

Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine 
If you seek a medical school where you will be most likely to be matched to the residency of your dreams, the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine could be the medical school for you. Designed to be a school for Americans who wish to practice medicine in the United States, Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine offers the best training to give their medical students every chance at success. Students who study at the Universidad de Guadalajara will be exposed to Mexican culture. The Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine allows students to have the opportunity to live abroad, study medicine, and fulfill their career goals. For more information, visit our website, or call us toll-free at (833) 220-7645. Already have the information you need and are ready to apply? Feel free to email us at admissions@uag.edu.