College of Medicine celebrates 100% match rate for Class of 2026

Kresge Auditorium at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine was filled with a palpable sense of triumph on Friday, March 20, 2026, as 178 fourth-year medical students gathered for one of the most significant milestones of their professional lives: Match Day. This year's ceremony was defined by a remarkable achievement, with the college securing a 100% match rate, ensuring every participating student a residency position in their chosen field.

Match Day is the long-awaited conclusion of four years of intensive medical training. At precisely noon, students across the country opened their envelopes to discover where they will spend the next several years in residency - the essential next step in their journey toward becoming practicing physicians.

"This is truly a day to celebrate," said Gregory C. Postel, MD, dean of the College of Medicine, Christian R. Holmes professor and executive vice president for health affairs at UC and chair of the UC Health Board of Directors. "We had a 100% match this year. I don't know how we beat that. It tells you how good our students are and the reputation of the University of Cincinnati."

A moment years in the making

The ceremony commenced with Postel drawing the honorary first envelope, initiating a series of emotional announcements led by faculty and student leaders, including Class of 2026 co-presidents Juliana Rizzo and David Furniss.

Rizzo shared a particularly touching moment on stage with her husband, Matt - a fellow family medicine physician - who read her match aloud: family medicine at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Northern Kentucky. Furniss later announced his own match to emergency medicine at the University of Arizona.

Philip Diller, MD, PhD, senior associate dean for educational affairs, conducted the second honorary draw. Dawn Bragg, PhD, associate dean for student affairs, and Bruce Giffin, PhD, associate dean for medical education, continued the random drawing. Cheers and joyful tears filled the room as students, many accompanied by their children and parents, shared their future destinations.

Class of 2026 co-president Juliana Rizzo embraces her classmate in celebration. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II.

Stories of resilience and purpose

Among the most powerful highlights of the day was the story of Immanuel Duncan, whose nontraditional path to medicine deeply moved the audience. Duncan worked full-time as a paramedic throughout all four years of medical school while supporting his family and commuting long distances.

"It's been the hardest four years of my life, but I made it, and I'm here," Duncan shared. Fittingly, he matched into emergency medicine at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina - a specialty that perfectly reflects his years of frontline experience.

Emerald Frank also highlighted the generational impact of the day, bringing her grandmother, originally from Guyana, onto the stage. "My grandma has the envelope," Frank noted, acknowledging the sacrifices that made her medical education possible. Frank matched obstetrics-gynecology at the University of Hawaii.

For Grant Leever, the day served as a powerful tribute to his family. After sharing that his father had passed away unexpectedly late last year, Leever dedicated the moment to him before announcing he would be staying in Cincinnati to train in pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's.

Matching across the nation and at home

UC's Class of 2026 matched into residency programs across the United States, with a strong contingent choosing to remain in the region to serve the local community. Approximately 34% of the class will remain in Ohio for their training.

Cruz Ramnarine was among those staying local, matching into emergency medicine at the UC Medical Center. Accompanied by his wife and children, he shared that his daughter was born during the very first week of medical school, and so he said, "She is a human measurement of how far all of us have come. Congratulations, everybody!"

Many students will continue their journey at leading Cincinnati institutions, including 17 matches at UC Medical Center, five matches at UC West Chester Hospital and eight matches at Cincinnati Children's.

Beyond the individual stories of local impact, the Class of 2026 demonstrated the national competitiveness of a University of Cincinnati education by matching into some of the country's most elite residency programs. Graduates secured positions at world-renowned institutions, including Northwestern University, Emory University and Case Western Reserve University; this group includes Querida Gyimah, who will be heading to the prestigious Mayo Clinic for her residency in internal medicine. Others matched at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh for highly specialized tracks, including neurosurgery.

Querida Gyimah proudly opens her Match Day letter. She will be doing an internal medicine residency at Mayo Clinic. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II.

This geographic breadth was matched by an impressive diversity of clinical interests, with students entering rigorous fields such as interventional radiology at the University of Virginia (Connor Morris), cardiothoracic surgery at UT Houston (Clayton Agler) and a rare triple board residency in pediatrics, psychiatry and child psychiatry at Cincinnati Children's (Jeeva Jagabandhu).

The ceremony also highlighted the unique, often global, journeys that define the UC student body. From Megan Whitley, who matched into a specialized combined pediatrics/physical medicine and rehabilitation program at Cincinnati Children's, to Clifford Ukarajit, who celebrated his internal medicine match at The Ohio State University with family watching from Nigeria, the day was a testament to the perseverance required to reach this milestone.

Perhaps the spirit of the day was best captured by Keirsten White, who matched at UC San Francisco and shared a final piece of wisdom from her great-grandmother, Betty, who worked as a certified nurse assistant until she was 79 years old: She reminded the new doctors that despite the advanced technology they will master, their greatest tools will always be "love and patience".

A global celebration

The excitement of the day extended well beyond the walls of the Medical Sciences Building. The ceremony's livestream drew 907 viewers from 13 different countries, including Sweden, Mexico, Taiwan and the United Kingdom - a testament to the global community supporting these future doctors.

As the envelopes were opened and futures revealed, the message was clear: The Class of 2026 is ready to lead. These graduates carry forward a tradition of excellence.

As Postel noted in his closing sentiment: "Congratulations and best of luck. We couldn't be happier for you."

Featured image at top: The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Class of 2026 poses for a 'UC' group photo. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II.

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