UCSF Medical Students Celebrate Match Day 2025: A Testament to Excellence, Perseverance, and Community
UCSF School of Medicine Match Day 2025
On the morning of March 21, 2025, 180 graduating UCSF medical students gathered at the Koret Quad on the Mission Bay campus to celebrate Match Day—a defining milestone in their medical education journey. Surrounded by family, friends, and faculty, students opened envelopes that revealed where they will spend the next three to seven years in residency, marking the transition from medical student to physician-in-training.
Sixty-one percent of students matched into California residency programs, with 24% of students staying in UCSF. The top specialties this year, encompassing 56% of all matches, were Internal Medicine (18%), Anesthesiology (12%), Emergency Medicine (8%), Psychiatry (7%), Surgery (9%), and Obstetrics and Gynecology (5%). Twenty-seven percent of matches were in Primary Care specialties.
UCSF students arrive at Match Day through a variety of educational paths. While most began in 2021 as part of the four-year MD program, others trained in specialized tracks such as the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program (JMP), the Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved (PRIME-US), the San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education (SJV PRIME), or the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), which spans nearly a decade and culminates in both an MD and PhD.
Marissa Chou, a MSTP student who matched into the Internal Medicine physician scientist research track at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, hails her family and MSTP classmates as her biggest supporters. She shared, “My classmates and I have been together for nine years, going through two graduate degrees, a global pandemic, and countless life milestones together.” As a physician-scientist in training, Marissa hopes to serve the community by being “a staunch advocate for my patients and communities, speaking up for supporting scientific research and training a diverse workforce. These endeavors allow us to best serve our patients and deliver both the compassionate patient care and cutting-edge treatments they deserve.”
John Cruz, a student in the SJV-PRIME program, matched into Emergency Medicine at Harvard. Reflecting on the meaning of community and his role in it, John shared, “I come from a community of immigrants, of Filipinos, a group where English is the second or third language and a group often under-resourced and overlooked. The ability to represent my community, advocate for them, and care for their health and well-being are the main driving factors in my pursuit towards a career in medicine.” John was drawn to Emergency Medicine and Disaster Medicine because of his desire to forge community partnerships, build strong health care infrastructure, and lead efforts toward establishing a resilient health care system and community in the face of disasters.
Kristienne Edrosolan, a student in the PRIME-US program, who matched into Family Medicine at Swedish Cherry Hill, Seattle, said, “I feel lucky to have found a strong community in medical school with friends and faculty who believe in me and have supported me.” As a future Family Medicine doctor, Kristienne hopes to “be someone’s long-term primary care physician, to be someone’s home base that they return to both in sickness and health.”
Paul Tominez, an Army Health Professions Scholarship Program recipient, matched into General Surgery at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. Paul shared that for him community means “knowing that I'm not alone in this complex world and I'm part of something bigger than myself.” He is excited about the many opportunities available within a career in medicine, including academic, research, and advocacy. With his training, Paul eventually hopes to return to his native Guam to give back to the community that shaped who he is today.
Michelle Nguyen, who matched into Internal Medicine at UCLA, shared, “Community means uplifting and caring for those around us, so we can all grow into the best version of ourselves. I want to advocate for my patients to receive the best care possible, whether inside or outside the clinic and hospital.” Michelle chose Internal Medicine because of “the wealth of opportunities to get to know my patients and to care for all aspects of their health and the ability to work with many different specialties and disciplines.”
Nirosh Mataraarachchi, who matched into Internal Medicine at UCLA, believes his career path was influenced by his family. He shared, “The compassion and empathy of my mother has always been a remarkable example for me to follow in my career.” While at UCSF, Nirosh founded Cardiac Camp, which provides high school students a free, hands-on learning opportunity to learn about cardiovascular health and discover health care career opportunities. He chose Internal Medicine for its opportunity to establish long-term patient relationships and ability to think very widely and diversely about medicine. Looking to the future, he intends to “serve my communities with both purpose and care.”
Amanda León, a student in the PRIME-US program who matched into Psychiatry at UCSF, credits the support of her parents and her partner, Anna Claire Fernandez. Amanda and Anna Claire succeeded in a residency couple match process and they will continue their journey at UCSF. When asked about her motivation for choosing Psychiatry, Amanda emphasized the importance of “being able to work with youth of color, queer, and trans youth.” She continued, “I feel like Psychiatry is a way I can serve the communities that are important to me. During residency and beyond, I plan to continue serving my communities through research, clinical interests, advocacy, and outreach efforts.”
Anna Claire Fernandez, a student in the UCSF-UC Berkeley Joint Medical Program (JMP) matched into Emergency Medicine at UCSF. Reflecting on her decision to pursue Emergency Medicine, she said, “As a case manager and bilingual interpreter before medical school, being able to work with patients and speak Spanish most of my shift makes me feel at home.” Regarding her decision to pursue Emergency Medicine she said, “Being able to be a doctor to anyone regardless of their insurance status reflects my values. It’s a dream come true.”
In his remarks to students on Match Day, Erick Hung, MD, Associate Dean for Students, reminded students, “Anywhere you go, you are going to take UCSF with you in advancing outstanding care and moving the field forward in knowledge. You will be a champion for health equity in a time that it is needed more than ever.”
