Match Day is the most anticipated day in a medical student’s educational journey. It marks the culmination of years of rigorous study, launching graduating medical students into their next chapter as physicians. And for many, it’s when medicine transitions from coursework into a calling – a life ready to live.

At exactly 11 a.m. Friday, March 20, thousands of medical students across the nation opened their envelopes simultaneously, discovering where their hard-earned and carefully charted pursuit would take them next. Inside the Bryan Williams, M.D. Student Center gymnasium that day, UT Southwestern Medical School’s Class of 2026 – surrounded by family, friends, faculty, and staff – shared those final seconds together in anticipation, marking a defining moment in their professional lives.

UTSW students matched into 30 different specialties at hospitals and academic medical centers nationwide. In this next phase of their training, they will translate their medical education into hands-on patient care, deepen their expertise across a wide range of disciplines, and, for many, drive research efforts aimed at improving treatments and discovering cures.

• Read this year’s student spotlight stories
• See the complete list of student matches by specialty

Angela Mihalic, M.D., Dean of Medical Students, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and Professor of Pediatrics, appreciates the students’ commitment to increasing their medical knowledge, sharpening their communication skills, and fostering empathy to ensure outstanding patient care.

“Today we celebrate our medical students and their tremendous achievements,” Dr. Mihalic said. “It is thrilling to have had the opportunity over the past four years to watch them grow as clinicians and find their passion within medicine. I wish them the best as they continue to develop and positively impact countless patients in communities across the country.”

Joining students to wish them ongoing success were Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., President of UT Southwestern; W. P. Andrew Lee, M.D., Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost, and Dean of the Medical School; Sherry Huang, M.D., Vice Provost and Senior Associate Dean for Education; and other academic leaders and mentors.

For 2026, the top five residency specialties UT Southwestern students matched into were:

1. Internal Medicine
2. Pediatrics
3. Psychiatry
4. Anesthesiology
5. Family Medicine

Match Day is a milestone moment for students, said Sarah Baker, M.D., Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Associate Professor of Psychiatry. “It has been incredibly rewarding to witness our students’ growth and dedication during their time at UT Southwestern, and to support them as they take this next step. I am excited to see the impact they will make in the years ahead.”

Norberto Rodriguez-Baez, M.D., Associate Dean for Student Affairs in the Office of Student Empowerment and Engagement and Professor of Pediatrics, said he is confident the Class of 2026 will leave a lasting impression on the lives of their patients and drive progress in their fields.

“The Class of 2026 has inspired me at every step of this journey, and it is a privilege to celebrate this milestone with them,” Dr. Rodriguez-Baez said. “Today we recognize not only their extraordinary achievements, but the responsibility and opportunities that lie ahead. They will help define the future of medicine, advancing health justice with courage, compassion, and conviction.”