Graduate Medical Education, more commonly known as residency, begins this summer for medical students earning medical degrees after at least four years of education. But first comes Match Day.
For the majority of the Wayne State University School of Medicine’s Class of 2025, March 21 is when most of these physicians-in-training – and thousands of others across the county – find out at noon Eastern Standard Time where, and within what program, they will practice medicine. That’s when the embargo lifts for the National Resident Matching Program’s Main Match results for most medical specialties, such as Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Neurology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology.
But for a portion of the Warrior M.D. Class of 2025 who participated in early matches for post-graduation residency programs in the specialties of Urology, Ophthalmology and the Military Match, that future has already been revealed.
Adlai Nelson will head to Emory University in Atlanta after graduation, where she will begin a residency in the one specialty she dismissed when beginning medical school.
“Urology was the one specialty I had initially ruled out. My dad is a urologist, and I grew up in a household where dinner table conversations could center on all things prostate,” she said. “It wasn’t until my last block of third year – the January before applications were due – did I finally decide on this specialty. I had a two-week elective open and I selected Urology, in part to pay homage to my dad and his career. I could not believe how much fun I had after the first day. Urology, at the forefront of surgical innovation, remains fundamentally patient-centered. It uniquely uses both surgery and medical interventions to address patient’s needs, linking hands-on work with direct patient interaction. I look forward to taking comprehensive ownership of diagnosis and treatment within a well-defined specialty, a true expert. I also identified most with the urologists: They are personable, approachable, comfortable in sensitive situations and able to form strong connections with others. Most importantly, urologists immediately impact and improve patient lives through these qualities and the care they give. Plus, I can bond even more with my dad now.”
She is grateful to Wayne State for helping her find her way.
“I want to give Wayne State the biggest thank you. Thank you for taking a chance on a re-applicant to medical school, thank you for providing me the academic resources to help me succeed, thank you for rallying behind me when I said I wanted to pursue Urology, thank you for equipping me with clinical knowledge and confidence that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and thank you for allowing me the privilege of pursuing the most rewarding career,” she said.
The Urology Residency Match Program is coordinated by the American Urological Association in conjunction with the Society of Academic Urologists.
Caleb Richard also matched into a Urology residency, his at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C. He opened the email containing his match results alone, in his kitchen, he said.
“After matching, I felt a huge sense of
relief—worries from three-plus years dissolved in one moment,” he said. “I knew I wanted to do surgery, and I felt the best personality fit within Urology. On top of that, we use the coolest operative tools and are always on the cutting edge of new advances and exciting surgical technology. I did an away rotation with this program, and the residents, faculty and culture in the hospital were fantastic. I’ve also always wanted to live in North Carolina my whole life.”
Parker Marsh is among the WSU medical students who will begin Ophthalmology residencies this summer, his at Loyola Medicine’s Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital in Chicago.
“Immediately before, including the week before, was probably the most stressed and uncertain I’ve felt thus far in med school,” Marsh said. “For every test and clinical encounters, I’ve been able to largely impact the result by studying or practicing physical exam skills, but for Match my fate is largely in their hands after your rank list is submitted. Immediately after opening my acceptance email, I felt the biggest relief I’ve had in years. All the long days of studying and missing life events finally paid off, so much weight was lifted off my shoulders at that moment.”
His fellow Ophthalmology-matched colleagues, including Riya Shah, who received the news Feb. 8 through the San Francisco Match portal. Shah will move from Detroit to New York for a transitional year in Internal Medicine in Manhattan before starting an Ophthalmology residency in Westchester, N.Y.
“In the Match, there are no guarantees, and with a specialty as competitive as Ophthalmology I knew that things could go either way. I logged into the SF Match portal and took many deep breaths before finally opening the results,” she said. “The moment I saw where I had matched, I was overwhelmed with joy, relief and gratitude. It was an incredible feeling to know that all the hard work had paid off and that I would be starting this next chapter in a program that would shape me into the ophthalmologist I aspire to be, in a city that I wanted to experience. I immediately felt an immense sense of excitement for the journey ahead and appreciation for everyone who had supported me along the way—family, mentors, friends and peers.”
Marsh and Shah agreed that Ophthalmology offers a unique combination of surgery, patient continuity and cutting-edge technology.
“I love that small interventions can have a life-changing impact on a patient’s vision and quality of life. The ability to make a tangible impact—restoring or preserving vision with precise interventions—feels incredibly meaningful. I love that ophthalmologists can diagnose systemic diseases through the eyes, offering a unique perspective on medicine,” Shah said.
In addition to specialty results announced last month, four students matched with military medicine programs in December. Natalie Amodei will attend an Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, Nicholas Stevenson (Air Force) will attend a General Surgery residency at the University of Nevada, Aaron Wilke (Army) will attend a Urology residency at Duke University in North Carolina and Crisshy Auguste (Navy) will attend a transitional year at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, Calif., before beginning an Anesthesiology residency.
Military students Jordan Tall and Victoria Allard are participating in the civilian match through NRMP. All attended the School of Medicine as part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Health Professions Scholarship Program.
For more information on Match Day, visit www.med.wayne.edu/match-day