The waiting room of dreams

Trinidad Alcalá-Arcos

"I'm couples-matching with my partner, so Match Day is a culmination of our hard work that we've gone through together. We're hoping to make a statement that immigrants like us are not just welcomed but needed in a space like medicine [and that] if we can do it, so can you!"

Karlos Manzanarez Felix

"Match Day is a celebration! We get to go up on stage and announce to everyone where we'll be going and the next steps in our life. For me, that's surgical residency, and it's going to be with my lovely partner, Trinidad. The more important part is that we get to celebrate it with our families!"

Cindy Flores

"Match Day is a celebration of past, present and future. I think about all the things I've been able to accomplish in the last four and a half years but also the things that my parents and my family have accomplished to get me to this point. I'm the first physician in my family, so I'm sure there will be a lot of tears.

It will also be the opportunity to have some clarity about what my future looks like. Not knowing where I'm going to go for the last four years has been daunting, but now, [learning] a name and a place for where I'm going to be is very exciting."

Jeannine Viruet

"Match Day is the end result of so many years of hard work. Four years of undergrad … five years where I did my M.D./M.P.H. at the same time. Now it's kind of an arrival, where I will soon be called "doctor" and patients will have their full trust in me and I will be serving patients to the best of my ability. It really is stepping into responsibility and the role that I set out to do. And I'm so excited to do so and so thankful for everyone who has gotten me to this place."

Darian Thompson

"Medical school is a very difficult path, and for many of us, this day was never guaranteed. It's something we've dreamed about for years - we've seen the videos, imagined the moment. Match Day feels like a rite of passage. It's a celebration not only of your own work but of the work of all your peers as well. You get to celebrate together and see where everyone is going next, watching the blossoming that happens at the end of this long journey.

For me, being the first person in my family to become a doctor makes this moment even more meaningful. It represents a kind of collective transformation and upward mobility that, again, was never guaranteed. I feel truly honored to be reaching this milestone and celebrating it with everyone."

Philip Patrick

"Match Day is significant to me because for the past 10 years, I've been in school studying and putting in a lot of work. I know that eventually it pays off, and that's what Match Day is all about: finding out where you'll spend the next four years training to become the kind of physician you want to be. It's the culmination of all that effort, and it feels cathartic to finally take a deep breath and relax for a month or two before residency begins. I'm excited because of all the work I've put in, and I'm also excited for all the work I still have ahead."

Sabrina Mir

"I've been able to attend Match Day for the past three years, starting when I was a first-year medical student. At that point, you don't fully understand what the day means. But now, as a fourth-year, I've watched every step of the journey for the classes ahead of me, and I see how special this moment really is. It celebrates not only the years of sacrifice and hard work that students put into medical school but also the next step in their journey.

It's also about the support systems behind every student. I talk to my parents every single day - they've heard about every exam during my first and second years and every patient interaction during my clinical rotations. They've shared in the great days and the difficult ones. Match Day celebrates not just the person opening the envelope but everyone who helped them get there. It's emotional and nerve-racking but also incredibly exciting. It really marks the transition into residency."

Saman Andalib

"Match Day is the culmination of an immense amount of blood, sweat and tears. I've wanted to be a doctor since I was a young child, and there have been many trials and challenges along the way - from undergrad and taking the MCAT to medical school, completing preclinical classes and rotations.

I've had incredible support from my family and the people around me, who helped me accomplish more than I ever thought possible. Match Day is a moment to reflect on everything that's led to this point and to feel immense gratitude for the people who helped me get here."