Increase Your Chances of a Residency Match
2026 Match Summit
Match Day is one of the most monumental moments in a physician’s career; one that will never be forgotten. As you embark on your residency match journey, this virtual event will provide guidance that will increase your chances of matching into residency, covering ERAS applications, interview preparation, personal statements, the SOAP, and more to help increase your chances of a residency match in 2026. Join us for a free virtual event taking place July 30 - August 2, 2025 to hear from current residents, fellows, faculty and Program Directors about their experiences and gain expert insight that will help you 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
July 30, 2025
6:00 - 6:45 PM ET | Specialty Panel #1 - Surgical |
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 | Gazala Hitawala, 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.
July 31, 2025
6:00 - 6:45 PM ET | Specialty Panel #3 | 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 | Marianne Elisa Solano, 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!
August 2, 2025
10:00 - 10:05 AM ET | Welcome to the 2025 Match Summit – Simone Bernstein, MD, MHPE
To start our day, the Co-Founder of Inside The Match, Simone Bernstein, MD, MHPE, will provide an overview of the event and detail big prizes attendees can win during the summit - don't miss out!
10:05 - 10:30 AM ET | How to Successfully Navigate Interviews – Simone Bernstein, MD, MHPE
Associate Program Director, Dr. Simone Bernstein, will discuss interview tips for residency interviews. You won't want to miss this in-depth session with a program director covering tips and insights to shine on your interviews.
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM ET | Tips to Write a Personal Statement – Kamran Mirza, MBBS, PhD, FCAP, FASCP
Whether you are ready to start your personal statement or finish it, we will discuss tips to improve your personal statement for residency. The personal statement is an opportunity for you to articulate your interest in a specialty. Let's get writing!
11:15 - 12:00 PM ET | Tips for Preference Signaling & Geographic Preferencing– Michael Ditillo, DO
Applicants in many specialties can send a signal to indicate a particular interest in a program. What programs will you signal this year? We will discuss geographic preferences and preference signaling tips with a program director.
12:05 - 12:50 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
Gazala Hitawala, MD
Neurology Resident
Specialty Panel #2
Hailey Olds, MD
Dermatologist
Specialty Panel #3
Natalie Curley, DO
PM&R Resident
Specialty Panel #3
Safeya Thompson, DO
OB/GYN Resident
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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© 2024 TrueLearn LLC. All Rights Reserved. *Disclaimer: ERAS®, NATIONAL RESIDENT MATCHING PROGRAM®, and SOAP® are registered trademarks of the official residency services. THE MATCH™ is a trademark of National Resident Matching Program. The TrueLearn Residency Match Summit is not sponsored by, endorsed by, or affiliated with any of the listed official services.
