Residency Match Day: What You Need to Know

You have put in countless late nights memorizing test items on top of clinical training. Your undergraduate medical training has been a tremendous amount of hard work and grit, but it has all led you to the next exciting chapter of your journey in medicine: Match Day. 

What is The Match?

The Match®, or The National Resident Matching Program®, is a computerized algorithm for fairly matching the preferences of applicants and program directors into U.S. residency positions.

Come the third Friday of every March, thousands of medical students will find out where they will be training for residency for the next several years. Match Day is one of the most memorable moments in a medical student’s life, but leading up to the day can leave you with many questions on just where to begin and what to expect. The better prepared you are in the process, the more confidence you will have going into Match Day. 

That’s why TrueLearn hosted a Match 2022 Residency Summit, where we welcomed several expert speakers to provide their insights around the most pressing Residency Match Day questions and share critical tips around topics such as ERAS applications, the SOAP, interview preparation, and more, to help you go into the matching process with confidence. Find each individual session with hosts such as Dr. Simone Bernstein with Inside the Match podcast, Dr. Sarah Godfrey with Med School Tutors, and more below.  

Session 1: Advancing Equity and Inclusion | Dr. Arthurine Zakama 

The average medical student applies to 40 residency programs, while those pursuing surgical specialties apply to up to 60. Students without means are often limited to a number of programs they can apply to, as costs can be inhibitory, especially as they are not allotted for in medical education loans. These expenses, in combination with the challenges underrepresented students face in medicine, indicate an unmet need. With the help of the SNMA (Student National Medical Association), Dr. Zakama has been able to create an opportunity to increase access to residency through this sponsorship. In this session, Dr. Zakama introduces the importance of mentorship, the opportunities A to Z Medical Excellence Scholarship can provide, dives into her own obstacles during her journey in medicine, and shares experiences as the Equity and Inclusion Chief for her residency program.

Session 2: Master Your Residency Interview and ERAS Tips Before You Submit | Dr. Simone Bernstein

In this session, Dr. Simone Bernstein with Inside the Match podcast, provides…

• An overview of essential tips before submitting your ERAS Application 
• A list of interview questions to ask residents and program directors 
• Tips to be successful on virtual interviews 
• Insights into post-interview etiquette 
• Teaches how to address any red flags in your application and on the interview trail

Session 3: The ‘Write’ Stuff for Residency | Dr. Sarah Godfrey 

​​”How should I address red flags?” “What should a personal statement include?” During this session, Dr. Godfrey with Med School Tutors dives into all of the pressing questions regarding the Match and provides insights into…

• Personal statements and addressing red flags
• Letters of recommendation
• The supplemental ERAS application

Session 4: Goodbye, Imposter Syndrome, Hello, Matching with Confidence | Dr. Ketetha Olengue

Residency interview season is often synonymous with “faking it until you make it.” But, faking it is exhausting; it’s a way of keeping imposter syndrome well and alive. By doing so, you prepare yourself to walk into residency already feeling like a fraud. In this session, Dr. Olengue, founder of Developing Doc, shares tips on how to show up authentically as yourself on the interview trail. She covers what imposter syndrome looks like throughout the season and how it can deter you from getting exactly what you want and need out of a residency program. If you are tired of feeling like you’d be lucky to get into residency and want to hear Dr. Olengue’s unique perspective on how to adopt a whole new mindset and actually enjoy the residency Match process, this is the talk for you.

Session 5: Investing in Your Health + Wellness | Ramya Iyer, LCSW

The Match and residency application process is an exciting time for many medical students, but for some, anxiety and worry can predominate. This anxiety can affect our mental health and subsequently all aspects of our lives. In this session, Ramya Iyer, founder of Thriving in Residency, introduces ways to manage job-related burnout and recognize and cope with anxiety and depressions so that you can go into the 2022 match season with confidence!

Session 6: Residency Digest: My Time in the Match | Dr. America Revere + Dr. Sherry Smith

In this roundtable discussion, we will break down the top questions medical students have around the Match process and tips into making your rank lists, and Dr. America Revere shares her own residency interviews and match week experience.

About Our Expert Hosts

Interested in learning more about our expert hosts? Find out more about our speakers and our annual Residency Match Summit.