Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship

For graduating medical students across the country, Friday, March 21 was Match Day. The CMU College of Medicine Class of 2025 gathered to celebrate with their families, friends, faculty and staff at Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan. 

Match Day is a momentous occasion in a medical student’s career. It’s the day they find out where they will begin their residency program, which is the next step in their medical training.  During their residencies, the learners will pursue specialty choices and begin more independent patient care.

For the second year in a row, the College’s soon-to-be-graduates have achieved an outstanding 100% match.  All 97 students have successfully matched with health care systems around the country.  This is a great testament to the caliber of our graduates and the strength of our curriculum.  In keeping with our mission, just over 50% of the class will remain in Michigan for their residency training, and 74% of students are pursuing primary care specialties.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our students and our program. We have a dedicated faculty who provide our learners with a comprehensive education,” said George E. Kikano, M.D., dean of the College and executive vice president of Health Affairs for CMU.  “This class has shown true devotion to medicine, embracing both the scientific and human elements that are so important for quality care.  I have no doubt they will continue to grow as doctors and become strong advocates for their patients and the communities in which they serve.”

When the students simultaneously opened their envelopes at 12 p.m., there were shouts and cheers of excitement.  For every student, it was a moment of extreme accomplishment and marked the achievement of a long-held goal. 

For Ian Kuo that goal became clear while he was teaching in Chicago.  He had considered medical school while he was an undergraduate but at 22 years old, that didn’t seem like the right path, so he decided to enter the education field.  He loved his work as a teacher but felt like something was missing.

After connecting with friends who were in medical school and taking the opportunity to do some shadowing, Ian made the switch from teacher to medical student.  He found the transition to be more seamless than he had expected, mainly because he enjoyed the material and was able to see himself taking on the role of a physician.  With his background in teaching, Ian decided to pursue a career in pediatrics.  He is excited to continue applying what he has learned in a place where he is treating patients and working with kids and their families.  Beyond his work as a physician, Ian is also planning to maintain a role in medical education.

Ian matched in the pediatric residency program at the University of Chicago. He shared this advice for other medical students, “Make the most of the opportunities you have, even if it’s hard, because you don’t know if you will have the chance to do it again.”

Landon Saipale decided to pursue medicine on a tennis court.  He was working in the financial industry in Arizona and became friends with Justin Field, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon in the area.  The two played a lot of tennis together and developed a mentor/mentee relationship.  Through this connection, Landon recognized that a different career path could provide more fulfillment.  Seizing the opportunity to job shadow with Dr. Field, Landon spent a week in the clinic and found his love for medicine.

It was a stark transition from the finance world to the first day of medical school. Landon spent a lot of time studying and he was grateful for the support of his instructors and his classmates. He has built connections with peers and colleagues that will last a lifetime and found that sense of fulfillment he had been looking for. 

Landon matched in the psychiatry residency program and Prisma Health University of South Carolina Greenville/Greer.  To current or aspiring medical students he says, “The journey is long and challenging and tiring.  Don’t lose sight of why you’re doing this.  It’s going to be hard, no matter what. Find a way to get back to the original motivation, that feeling of joy it can bring you, it’ll make the years more manageable.”