Feinberg Students Celebrate Match Day 2026

Anticipation and applause filled the air on Friday, March 20, as Feinberg students gathered with family, friends and faculty to learn where they will begin the next phase of their medical training during Match Day 2026.

At precisely 11:00 a.m., members of the Class of 2026 opened their envelopes simultaneously with medical students around the country, discovering where they had matched for residency training through the National Resident Matching Program. Cheers, hugs, and celebratory tears followed as students shared the news with classmates and family.

“I can’t wait to start taking care of patients,” said Alison Almgren-Bell, who matched in internal medicine at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University. “They really have been my north star through all of medical training.”

Match Day, which Feinberg medical students celebrated at the Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Biomedical Research Center on Northwestern’s Chicago campus, marks a major milestone in medical education in which graduating medical students are paired with residency programs across the country. Feinberg students matched into a wide range of specialties, including internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, psychiatry, emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and more.

“Of all the milestones in our medical students’ journey, Match Day is the pinnacle of excitement and achievement,” said Eli Zimmerman, MD, associate dean for Student Affairs and associate professor in the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology’s Division of Stroke and Vascular Neurology. “The Class of 2026 is thoughtful, they’re accomplished, they’re kind. They’re going to be amazing doctors.”

Throughout the morning, students reflected on the journey that led them to Match Day, one shaped by rigorous coursework, clinical rotations, and hands-on patient care at Northwestern Medicine and partner institutions. Many also acknowledged the support of mentors, classmates, and loved ones who played a crucial role in their success.

For many, the moment carried both excitement and meaning as they prepared to relocate to new cities and healthcare systems. Some students matched close to home, while others will take their training to programs across the Midwest and beyond.

“More than anything, something I’m going to take away from here is how important it is to be a team player,” said Asher Park, who matched in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at the University of Washington Medical Center. “The students at Feinberg, the faculty, the staff, everyone is so great at working together and creating a team environment. That’s something I will carry forward.”

Faculty and staff in attendance shared in the celebration, emphasizing the significance of Match Day not only for students, but for the patients and communities they will serve as physicians.

Marianne Green, MD, the Raymond H. Curry, MD, Professor of Medical Education and vice dean for Education, addressed students and their families before the envelopes were opened and matches were revealed. 

“This moment is about a lot more than just where you’re going. It is a reflection of who you have already become,” Green said. “So, take this all in. Celebrate each other, your families and your loved ones, and be proud of what you have achieved. You are so ready for this next step.”

This year’s class saw 154 students match into different ACGME-certified residency specialties, with 68 percent of Feinberg’s matching students heading to programs affiliated with a top-25 U.S. medical school.

Following the envelope opening, students and their guests continued the celebration with photos, congratulations, and reflections on the journeys ahead. The event marked both an ending and a beginning — closing one chapter of medical education while opening the door to residency training and lifelong careers as physicians.

“I’m so excited, but also so relieved,” said Samantha Schroth, who matched into a combined pediatrics and physical medicine and rehabilitation program at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. “I’ve worked so hard for this and have been so supported, not only by the school but by my family. I get to soak it all up; It’s so much fun.”