VP&S Class of 2025 Celebrates Match Day
On March 21 at exactly noon, 136 medical students at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons opened the envelopes containing their match letters, and learned where they will continue their medical training after graduation. Match Day is a nationwide event when all residency applicants across the United States and worldwide who have successfully matched to a clinical training program learn which residency program they will begin in the coming months.
The Match Day celebration at VP&S was held in the Hudson Lounge at 50 Haven Avenue and featured remarks from Katrina Armstrong, interim president of Columbia University in the City of New York; Jim McKiernan, interim dean of VP&S; Jean-Marie Alves-Bradford, associate dean for student affairs, support, and services; Monica Lypson, vice dean for education at VP&S; and Salila Kurra, associate dean for student career development at VP&S.
In her remarks at the event, Alves-Bradford noted that the sometimes tumultuous events of the last four years have helped to prepare the Class of 2025 for challenges beyond medical school.
“The Class of 2025 has spent the past several years navigating lots of different changes and challenges, including events at our campus, at our university, nationally, and even internationally,” Alves-Bradford said. “You’ve weathered the storm, in addition to learning a tremendous amount of medical knowledge and new skills, and you’re prepared for the next steps of your journey.”
Armstrong shared her hope and optimism for all that the graduating class will accomplish during their residency and beyond.
“It is truly remarkable what this class has done, going through a time of uncertainty and also showing resilience,” said Armstrong. “I appreciate your transformation. You started medical school during a global pandemic, and I think you're coming forward now as physicians in a time when we have never needed physicians more. Today we are in a time of great challenge, but in any great challenge is opportunity, and you will have the opportunity to lead and to make a difference.”
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A record-high number of applicants participated in the 2025 National Resident Matching Program, which manages the residency matching process in the United States and distributes the results. The current residency matching process began last September, when students applied to residency programs of their choice, and continued with interviews over the following months. In late February to early March, applicants and programs confidentially ranked each other in order of preference, and the NRMP algorithm matched applicants with programs. A total of 37,667 medical students nationwide matched this year.
Among VP&S students, the most popular residency matches were internal medicine (19.1%), pediatrics (10.3%), neurology (9.6%), psychiatry (8.8%), and orthopedic surgery (8.8%).
Prateek Sahni is a true-blue Columbia student: having completed his undergraduate and medical degrees here, he is staying to embark on his residency. He matched in internal medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and said he couldn’t be happier.
“I picked internal medicine because I wanted to be someone who could be a jack of all trades and care for everyone, for all the ailments that could come up, whether it’s something life-threatening or just a knee pain,” Sahni said. “I want to take care of all the patients and all my family. I think it’s a perfect fit.”
For Carly Mulinda, who matched in dermatology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, her choice of specialty was a personal one motivated in part by her family experience.
“My younger sister has albinism, so dermatology has been something that has been an important thing in our family for as long as I can remember,” Mulinda said. “Throughout medical school I got inspired learning about conditions like hair loss that disproportionately affect Black patients. Specializing in dermatology seemed like a really great way to serve the community that inspired me to get into medicine.”
The students who matched come from a wide variety of backgrounds and go on to even more varied careers in medicine, scientific and translational research, and other fields. Deirdre Ricaurte was drawn to her match in obstetrics and gynecology at Johns Hopkins University based on the opportunities it offers to hone her skills in different areas.
“I'm an MD/PhD student, and Johns Hopkins has incredible research, particularly in women's health, which is an area that I'm really excited to explore,” Ricaurte said. “Ob/Gyn is an area where there’s so much opportunity to do more research and find out more, because there’s so much we don’t know. I’m also excited to jump into the next four years clinically – Hopkins is top notch in surgical training.”
This year was a successful match for VP&S students, and the school is grateful to the departments and advisors for their partnership in this outcome, Kurra said.
“We are so excited for our students as they take this next step in their careers,” Kurra says. “I have no doubt that will be leaders in their fields and carry on the VP&S legacy of clinical excellence and dedication to others.”