Increase Your Chances of a Residency Match
2026 Match Summit
Match Day is one of the most unforgettable milestones in a physician’s career. As you begin your residency match journey, this free virtual event will offer expert guidance to boost your chances of matching in 2026. Topics include ERAS applications, interview prep, personal statements, the SOAP, and more. Join us July 30 – August 2, 2025, to hear from current residents, fellows, faculty, and Program Directors and gain insights to take control of your NRMP® Match journey.
Match Isn’t Just a Day, It’s Your Next Chapter. Let’s Write It Right.
EVENT AGENDA
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
6:00 - 6:45 PM ET | Specialty Panel #1 - Surgical | John-Kevin Dolce, MD
Do you have an interest in applying to a surgical specialty such as urology, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, general surgery or ophthalmology? Then this panel is for you. You won't want to miss this opportunity to learn from current residents as they discuss the match process. On this panel, we will have an interactive conversation about application tips, preparing for interviews, and answer your questions live.
7:00 - 7:45 PM ET | Specialty Panel #2 - Non-Surgical | Andrea Quintero Reis, MD, Gazala Hitawala, MD, Santosh Sreenivasan, DO, Winifred Iklaki, MD
Do you have an interest in applying to a non-surgical specialty such as psychiatry, neurology, internal medicine, family medicine, pathology or pediatrics? Then this panel is for you. You won't want to miss this opportunity to learn from current residents as they discuss the match process. On this panel, we will have an interactive conversation about application tips, preparing for interviews, and answer your questions live.
Thursday, July 31, 2025
6:00 - 6:45 PM ET | Specialty Panel #3 | Andy Nguyen, MD, Hailey Olds, MD, Natalie Curley, DO, Safeya Thompson, DO
If you are looking to apply to anesthesiology, dermatology, OB/GYN, PM&R or radiology/interventional, then you won't want to miss this opportunity to learn from current residents and fellows about the match process. On this panel, we will have an interactive conversation about application and interview tips, and even answer any questions live.
7:00 - 7:45 PM ET | Specialty Panel #4 – IMGs | Andrea Quintero Reis, MD, Marianne Elisa Solano, MD, Winifred Iklaki, MD
As an international medical graduate (IMG), there are additional stressors during the residency application process. We will discuss tips for the residency application and interview process with IMG applicants. If you are an IMG applicant, you don't want to miss this opportunity to ask questions to residents in various specialties!
Saturday, August 2, 2025
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM ET | Welcome + Tips to Write a Personal Statement – Kamran Mirza, MBBS, PhD, FCAP, FASCP
We’ll kick things off with a warm welcome and share how you can win big prizes, including SmartBank subscriptions and more, just by participating throughout the event! Then we’ll dive into an important piece of your application: the personal statement. Whether you’re just getting started or refining your final draft, Dr. Mirza will walk you through strategies to make your statement stronger, more authentic, and aligned with your specialty interests. The goal? To help you write a statement that stands out. Let’s get writing!
11:00 AM - 11:45 AM ET | Tips for Preference Signaling & Geographic Preferencing– Michael Ditillo, DO
What programs are on your signal list this year? And how do you make those signals count? Join us as we discuss geographic preferences and get expert advice on preference signaling strategies from a Program Director who understands how signals are reviewed and what they really mean to programs.
12:00 PM - 12:45 PM ET | How to Successfully Navigate Interviews – Simone Bernstein, MD, MHPE
Join Dr. Simone Bernstein, Associate Program Director, for an in-depth session on residency interview strategies. She’ll share insider tips, common pitfalls, and what programs are really looking for so you can walk into interview season with confidence.
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM ET | Demystifying the ERAS Application: Ways to Maximize Your Application - Cassandra Bradby, MD
This talk with a program director will cover the basics of using the ERAS Application for residency, specifically focusing on the different sections of the application itself and how to best use it to make your experiences shine. It will also discuss applying to programs, assessing program fit, and considerations for unique populations in medicine. Do you have what you consider to be a red flag? The approach to covering these anomalies and issues will also be covered in this lecture.
Learn more about our expert hosts!Check out their bios below.
SPEAKER LINEUP
Session Speakers
Simone Bernstein, MD, MHPE
Co-Founder @ Inside the Match,
Attending Physician, & Associate Psychiatry Residency Program Director
Kamran Mirza, MBBS, PhD, FCAP, FASCP
Godfrey D. Stobbe Professor of Pathology Education, Clinical Professor, Hematopathology, Assistant Chair for Education & Director, Division of Education Programs
Michael Ditillo, DO, FACS
Program Director for General Surgery Residency @ University of Arizona, College of Medicine
Cassandra Bradby, MD
Emergency Medicine Physician & Assistant Professor at Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
PANELIST LINEUP
Panelists
John-Kevin Dolce, MD
Orthopedic Surgery Resident
Specialty Panel #1
Gazala Hitawala, MD
Neurology Resident
Specialty Panel #2
Santosh Sreenivasan, DO
Internal Medicine Resident
Specialty Panel #2
Winifred Iklaki, MD
Internal Medicine Resident
Specialty Panel #2 & #4
Andrea Quintero Reis, MD
Pediatrics Resident
Specialty Panel #2 & #4
Safeya Thompson, DO
OB/GYN Resident
Specialty Panel #3
Andy Nguyen, MD
Anesthesiology
Specialty Panel #3
Natalie Curley, DO
PM&R Resident
Specialty Panel #3
Hailey Olds, MD
Dermatologist
Specialty Panel #3
Register Now
Match Into Your Desired Specialty with Inside the Match
Inside the Match has your back on the residency match application journey and residency. Completing Residency Applications, doing interviews, and starting residency can be full of unexpected twists and turns!
With over 120 episodes and 189,000+ listeners, the Inside the Match podcast features short, impactful episodes with helpful tips from residents, fellows, program directors, and leaders in medical education. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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