Match Day: SLU Med Students Match Into Residency Programs
It's a match! More than 170 fourth-year medical students at Saint Louis University’s School of Medicine learned where they will continue the next chapter of their medical careers.
Students gathered with family and friends on Friday, March 17, at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton to find out their match as part of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), which annually matches students with residency programs across the United States.
"Today and the weeks ahead will be spent celebrating the culmination of the preclinical years," said Christine Jacobs, M.D., vice president for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. "It’s an honor to celebrate Match Day with our students as they receive the key to their residency journey after four years of hard work, applications, interviews and submitting match preferences.”
Prior to Match Day, students apply and interview at residency programs in the specialty of their choice and rank their preferences. The residency programs also rank their preferences of students. The rank lists are then matched through NRMP.
SLU medical student and St. Louis native Matthew Wagoner aspires to spend the next five years practicing medicine in his hometown close to family, and he was hopeful going into Match Day he would be a competitive Midwest applicant.
“I'm confident that no matter where I end up, I'm going to receive fantastic training and become a competent orthopedic surgeon,” he said, as he waited to learn where he would continue his training.
The ballroom erupted in cheers as students opened their sealed envelopes to reveal their matches.
Wagoner was elated to discover he matched with his first choice Saint Louis University School of Medicine where he will remain on the fast track. He came to SLU as an undergrad from Drury University through the Medical Scholars Program. He looks forward to operating at a young age, becoming a leader in the St. Louis community, and giving back to his alma mater.
“I cannot thank SLU enough for the past four years. It truly is a place that I would love to practice at in the future to educate the residents, medical students, and fellows,” he said.
On the opposite side of the ballroom, Rebecca Cunningham is on track to become an internal medicine physician and oncologist after she matched with her first choice Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The Louisville native knew she wanted to remain in St. Louis where she says her great-grandmother, who grew up on Park Avenue next to the School of Medicine, inspired her studies.
“I chose this career path because you develop these longitudinal relationships where patients entrust you to help them navigate these very complex medical decisions,” she said.
Additional residency programs this year’s class matched into include Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Emory University, The University of Texas at Austin, and more.
Hear just a few of the many stories of our Medical Students who were matched into a residency program this year on Match Day.
About SLU School of Medicine
Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: cancer, infectious disease, liver disease, aging and brain disease and heart/lung disease.
Latest Newslink
- SLU Launches William L. Clay, Sr. Institute of Civic Engagement and Economic JusticeThe Clay Institute will provide immersive learning experiences and hands-on training that address the social and economic challenges facing the St. Louis region and the nation. Institute programming will be available to all students with an interest in civic engagement and democratic participation.
- SLU Research Explores Depression's Ripple Effect on DiabetesA study conducted by researchers at Saint Louis University found that patients with depression were more likely to have uncontrolled diabetes over time and that depression contributes to a heightened economic burden to diabetes management.
- SLU/YouGov Poll: Statewide Cell Phone Ban for Missouri Schools Popular with VotersGovernor Mike Kehoe has signed Senate Bill 68 into law, enacting a statewide ban on the use of personal electronic devices, including cell phones, tablets, and smartwatches, throughout the school day in Missouri public and public charter schools.
- SLU Vaccine Center Will Enroll Healthy Volunteers in Yellow Fever Vaccine Clinical TrialSaint Louis University's Center for Vaccine Development will enroll up to 70 adult volunteers in a clinical trial to study the safety elicited by a new investigational vaccine for yellow fever, a potentially deadly disease that is spread by mosquitoes. The research is funded by Sanofi Pasteur.
- Feser Joins Global Jesuit Assembly During First Week as SLU's PresidentAs he began his tenure as Saint Louis University's 34th president, Edward Feser, Ph.D., represented SLU as a delegate at the 2025 Assembly of the International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU).
- SLU Partnership with St. Louis Catholic Academy Middle School Education Yields Improved Outcomes One Year OnA partnership between Saint Louis University's School of Education's Herrmann Center for Innovative Catholic Education and St. Louis Catholic Academy has yielded improved test scores and student outcomes in the middle school population after its first year. The SLU School of Education provides resources to St. Louis Catholic Academy's middle school.
