Match Day is a unique event created by the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP) during which medical students are “matched” with residency training programs throughout the country.
On Friday, March 20, at noon EDT, fourth-year medical students at the Larner College of Medicine will open their envelopes at UVM’s Dudley H. Davis Center and learn where in the country they will go for their residency training.
“The National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP), or The Match, is a private, non-profit organization established in 1952 at the request of medical students to provide an orderly and fair mechanism for matching the preferences of applicants for U.S. residency positions with the preferences of residency program directors,” according to the NRMP website. The first Match held by the National Interassociation Committee on Internships (precursor to the NRMP) had 5,564 individuals matching. Today, tens of thousands students match.
“At Larner, we acknowledge every match, one at a time, with the student, their loved ones, and the entire community. It’s a special celebration.”— Richard L. Page, M.D.
Richard L. Page, M.D., dean of the Larner College of Medicine and UVM chief medical affairs officer, explained the significance of Match Day. “This represents the culmination of years of rigorous effort and personal sacrifice, revealed in a single moment that will shape a medical student’s life forever. The student finds out where they will live and train in just a few months, frequently influencing where they may practice medicine going forward. Match Day, for my class long ago, involved all of us simply opening our envelopes together. Now, and especially at Larner, we acknowledge every match, one at a time, with the student, their loved ones, and the entire community. It’s a special celebration,” he said.
With a strong history of graduates matching at such renowned residency programs as Duke University Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and UCLA Medical Center, Match Day at Larner remains an exciting milestone filled with anticipation for students. The waiting period is filled with a mix of nerves, excitement, and personal reflection as they prepare to learn where their training will continue. Kara Pflaster ’26 captures this emotional landscape in an introspective blog post about her own experience navigating the weeks before Match Day.
The success students achieve on Match Day does not come overnight. They have invested four years of exceptionally hard work, dedication, and determination in preparation for moving on to residency, which can last between three and seven years, depending on their chosen specialty.
Residency Preparation at Larner:
Active Learning. The Larner College of Medicine is widely recognized as one of the first medical schools in the country to transition away from traditional, passive lectures, replacing them with an evidence-based curriculum grounded almost entirely in active learning. Active learning methods require students to actively construct knowledge rather than passively receiving it from instructors. Sessions focus on developing skills, such as clinical reasoning, analysis, and application, rather than solely transferring information. Research consistently shows that experiential, participatory learning leads to better retention and improved critical thinking skills.
Research consistently shows that experiential, participatory learning leads to better retention and improved critical thinking skills.
Research/Global Health Experience. Most Larner medical students take part in research opportunities, with program durations ranging from a few months to several years. These opportunities exist locally at UVM, at institutions across the country, and at partner sites around the world. In addition, a cohort of students may participate in a Global Health elective during the summer between their first and second years or during their fourth year. These electives are offered in partnership with Larner’s branch campus in Connecticut at Nuvance, Northwell Health, with student placements most commonly in Uganda, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Dominican Republic. All Larner medical students also complete a public health project. Projects presented in January 2026 included such topics as improving health literacy and communication in rural areas, understanding factors associated with loneliness among older Vermonters, and identifying communication barriers between physicians and patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Cultural humility, kindness, and respect form the foundation upon which Larner College of Medicine faculty, staff, and students work together to elevate professionalism in all that they do.
Reflection and Mentoring. The human side of medicine is emphasized throughout Professionalism, Communication, and Reflection (PCR), a longitudinal course spanning three years of medical school. Through hospital interviews, small-group discussions, and narrative-medicine projects, students engage deeply with patients’ stories and reflect on their experiences. Alongside robust mental health and wellness resources, we teach students the tenets of professionalism as they cultivate lifelong learning and continuous improvement. Cultural humility, kindness, and respect form the foundation upon which Larner College of Medicine faculty, staff, and students work together to elevate professionalism in all that they do.