Match Day 2024 Delivers Exceptional Rates for Scholl, CMS and Clinical Psychology Students

The university celebrated Match Day on March 15, as Chicago Medical School and Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine upheld their excellent records of residency placement. Scholl College earned a 100% match for the seventh consecutive year, and CMS achieved a 98% match rate. In a separate ceremony on March 4, Clinical Psychology PhD drew an eighth consecutive 100% match.

Match Day is a rite of passage for fourth-year students. As graduation on May 31 approaches, they will also prepare to transition to graduate training in their chosen healthcare specialties. As part of the nationally synchronized event, students opened envelopes, along with thousands of their peers across the United States, to discover where they will complete their residencies and how they will spend the next three to seven years of their lives.

Scholl College Delivers 100% Match Rate

Scholl College Dean Stephanie Wu, DPM, MSc, FACFAS, praised the college’s 100% match rate and its 100% boards part II pass rate.

“The numbers speak to the fact that we have a class of diligent, talented students up for the challenge to improve the lives of the people and the populations they serve,” Dr. Wu said. “They speak to our students’ dedication to their education, patient care and how they are poised to become future leaders in the profession. They’re also a testament to our outstanding faculty, who are committed to our students’ success. Congratulations to all!"

Friday morning in the Scholl Gallery, Aashi Modi, SCPM ’24, excitedly opened her envelope to see she’d matched at her first preference, Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut.

“It feels surreal,” she said, holding her match letter and a bouquet of flowers. “Definitely, last night was rough, thinking about where I’m going to go. But this means a lot, because this is where my next experience is going to be, where my training’s going to be and where I’m going to grow. I feel very grateful — this is the culmination of the hard work that I’ve put in the last nine years.”

Ms. Modi is a participant in the Scholl Scholars Program, which recruits top students who embody the values of Dr. William M. Scholl and provides them with the support and mentorship they need to achieve their goals. Among her many activities at RFU, Ms. Modi and her colleagues were able to successfully host a biopsy workshop that was open to all Scholl College students. This workshop provided a hands-on learning experience in dermatopathology, a crucial skill for a doctor of podiatric medicine.

Future professional goals for Ms. Modi include establishing a successful podiatric practice and pursuing further specialization through fellowship training in areas such as limb preservation or reconstructive surgery.

“Matching to a residency program that aligns with my interests and career goals is essential for gaining the necessary skills and experience to succeed in my future practice,” Ms. Modi said. “It also sets the foundation for building a professional network and reputation within the podiatric community.”

“We are CMS Proud”

CMS Dean Archana Chatterjee, MD, PhD, expressed pride in the students who “have completed the first step in fulfilling their calling — a lifelong commitment to the health and well-being of their patients.”

“Starting medical school at the beginning of the pandemic, they had to adapt to online classes, disruptions to clinical rotations and virtual residency interviews, to name but a few of the challenges they have overcome to get to this day,” Dr. Chatterjee added. “Their indomitable spirit, hard work and focus have brought them this far and will stand them in good stead as they enter the next phase of their medical education through residency training. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and grateful for the opportunity to educate this next generation of doctors. We are CMS Proud!”

Emma Steffer and Reid Colliander, both CMS ’24, were among RFU students seeking a Couples Matching option from the National Resident Matching Program, in which couples who hope to work and live near each other during residency submit a combined rank-order list of programs. Ms. Steffer said the key to preparation was “going into it with an open mind.”

“Couples matching changed our rank list significantly, but we entered combinations we are both excited about,” said Ms. Steffer, who is pursuing internal medicine-pediatrics, while Mr. Colliander is pursuing neurosurgery. “Match Day plays a very big role in determining where we end up and settle for the next seven years.”

When the moment arrived at 11 a.m., Ms. Steffer and Mr. Colliander opened their envelopes together and quickly saw the same location: Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

“I’m very excited that Reid and I are together — it’s exciting to know that we’ll see each other at work,” she said, adding that the overall Match Day experience was “very stressful, but also exciting. It’s good to see friends going to great places.”

Clinical Psychology Again Hits 100% Match Rate

For the eighth consecutive year, the Clinical Psychology PhD program in the College of Health Professions earned a 100% match rate for internship placements. According to the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers, the average national match rate for the degree from 2011 to 2023 was 88%.

RFU students are matched to American Psychological Association-accredited programs that include healthcare centers in the Veterans Administration system: The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Healthcare Center adjacent to the RFU campus; the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Florida; and Miami VA Healthcare System Miami.

“Our 100% match rate at APA approved internship sites is a reflection of the outstanding quality of our clinical psychology program and our students,” said CHP Dean Lisa Dutton, PT ’93, PhD. “The preparation our students receive in the classroom, in research, and in collaboration with our clinical partners is second to none and provides a strong foundation for the efforts and accomplishments of our students. Furthermore, this is not a one-time feat, the clinical psychology program achieved a 100% match rate for each of the last 8 years!’

“We are excited to see what our students will do next and look forward to their many contributions to clinical care and research as they endeavor to address mental health needs in our communities, advance health equity, and promote discovery.”

Wide Geographic Spread for Scholl, CMS Residencies

Scholl College students will complete medical and surgical training at programs that include Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago; Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis; Emory Decatur Hospital, Georgia; Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood; Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles; Rush University Medical Center, Chicago; St. Mary's Medical Center, San Francisco; Stony Brook University Hospital, New York; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Mercy, Pittsburgh; and the Lovell Federal Health Care Center.

CMS locations include Boston University Medical Center in Boston; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles; MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, D.C.; Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles County, California; Mount Sinai Morningside, New York City; Naval Medical Center San Diego; Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; Stanford Medical Center, Palo Alto, California; University of Chicago Medical Center; University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa; University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan; and University of New Mexico Hospital, Albuquerque, New Mexico.