The journey from med student to earning your MD is a multi-year marathon that culminates with a memorable event: securing a residency position on Match Day.
In order to practice as a licensed physician in the US, obtaining a residency is critical to furthering your hands-on training. Medical students await Match Day with anticipation, which takes place on the third Friday in March each year.
Match Day reveals where students will continue their training for the next three years and potentially longer, depending on their specialty. Many students say it is a surreal moment in their life—symbolizing that all the hard work it took to get to this moment was worth it.
“When I found out I had matched, I felt an overwhelming wave of emotions—relief, excitement, and pure joy. This was the moment I had been working toward for years, and seeing my hard work pay off was incredibly rewarding,” says Geraldine Ortega, MD ’25, an internal medicine resident at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Englewood, NJ.
What is Match Day?
Where students will complete their residencies on Match Day is determined by the National Resident Matching Program’s (NRMP) Main Residency Match. This system places students into US residency programs by using a computerized mathematical algorithm. The algorithm will match applicants with one of their preferred residency positions at a program that also prefers them.
Chanel Johnson, MD ’25, secured a residency in emergency medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in Bronx, NY.
“I am very grateful to have matched at my first choice,” Dr. Johnson says. “Lincoln is [one of the] busiest emergency departments in the United States, so it will be a hard four years, but I know the training will be top tier.”
Facts about SGU’s 2025 Match
More than 1,035 SGU students and graduates obtained a residency position in the Match in 2025.* For the 11th year in a row, SGU secured more US residency positions than any medical school in the world.*
The map shows the locations, hospitals, and specialties of where St. George’s University medical students matched in 2025.
Number of Specialties
SGU students and graduates obtained residency positions in several highly competitive specialties, ranging from plastic surgery and neurology to emergency medicine and pediatrics. Overall, SGU students and graduates secured residency positions in 20 specialties.*
“When I matched, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and shock,” says Marquesa Moore, MD ’25, who matched in child neurology at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, MI. “Becoming a child neurologist always felt like a distant dream, until suddenly it wasn’t. I feel so lucky to have been granted the opportunity to wake up every single day and do what I love. I get to make a difference in the lives of a vulnerable population and reduce health disparity in underserved communities.”
Across the United States
From California to Michigan to Connecticut, the new residents matched in hospitals in 42 states across the US including DC.*
When Roberta Lorena Vadan, MD ’25, visited Florida State University College of Medicine/Lee Health System in Cape Coral, FL, she felt that she fit right into the internal medicine residency program.
“What stood out to me about the FSU program in Cape Coral is its balanced schedule, which allows time for both core training and electives, the opportunity to explore various specialties while also gaining hands-on experience with diverse and complex patients,” says Dr. Vadan, who is originally from Canada.
Students Represented Many Countries Around the World
Students who matched represented 48 countries around the world.
Caroline Beauty Apreku, MD ’25, grew up with a deeply rooted curiosity for science and a desire to serve others. Originally from Ghana, West Africa, this dual passion became the driving force behind her dream of becoming a physician. When she was accepted to SGU, she embraced the opportunity to pursue her dream.
“SGU provided me with all the resources and tools I needed from the first term to the last shelf exam. I am very grateful to the University,” she said.
Dr. Apreku matched into her first-choice internal medicine residency program at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.
Matching into residency meant, “my dream was finally becoming reality! It was so surreal,” Dr. Apreku says. “I was grateful for everyone who believed I could me achieve this goal, especially the little girl who was determined to leave Ghana to pursue her dreams.”
Preparing for Residency
Successfully matching for residency is all about demonstrating that you’re a strong candidate who will work well with the physicians at your desired program. The specific criteria that program directors seek will vary among institutions, but there are plenty of things you can start doing even from your first day of med school.
The steps to becoming a doctor
Deciding to attend med school is one of the most important choices you’ll make, whether you’ve dreamed of being a doctor since childhood or recently found your passion through personal experiences.
St. George’s University is here to support your journey to become an MD, offering guidance and resources from application to residency and beyond. From med school applications to board certification, read our free resource, Journey to MD.
*Data as of April 2025.
