On Friday, March 20, as the clock struck noon, UConn-blue envelopes were ripped open, with the annual exhilaration of National Match Day filling the air with loud cheers, along with happy tears and sighs of relief.
The crowd of over 100 fourth-year medical students, along with UConn faculty, family, and friends, gathered for the thrilling annual moment in the Academic Rotunda at UConn School of Medicine, to celebrate Connecticut’s largest producer of physicians’ Match Day success and to reveal the soon-to-be doctors residency training destinies for the next several years – at Connecticut hospitals like UConn John Dempsey Hospital or others across the country.
Nationally, each year at the same time on Match Day medical students at UConn and those around the country learn their residency matches.
“We have some records breaking today,” shared Dr. Marilyn Katz, assistant dean for Medical Student Affairs at UConn. “This is our largest match for anesthesiology. Also, 40%, a huge amount of our students, are staying in Connecticut for residency training. The most important thing is that you persevered. You didn’t give up. And the outcome today is phenomenal. In less than two months, all of you will be doctors!”
The Class of 2026 has the highest percentage ever of UConn medical students matching into UConn School of Medicine-sponsored Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs, at 27%. This continues a growing trend since 2020.
On this Match Day, 103 medical students were successfully placed in residency, a 98% match rate. Of those:
- 40% are staying in Connecticut.
- 57% are staying in New England.
- 36% are entering primary care.
“Congratulations to all of you!” said Dr. Melissa Held, senior associate dean for Medical Student Education with the medical students and their families. “It’s such an honor to watch you all grow into physicians. We are so proud of everything you have accomplished.”
“This is going to be electric, and exhilarating!” said longtime dean of the UConn School of Medicine Dr. Bruce T. Liang just before the blue envelopes were ripped open by the medical students.
And the envelopes, please!
UConn’s Largest Match of Future Anesthesiologists
This year UConn School of Medicine had its largest number of students who chose to enter the field of anesthesiology. Twelve students matched to the field.
One of those medical students is Maria Emilia Guerrero ’21 (CLAS), 26, of Bethel. She is excited to realize her lifelong dream of becoming a physician. She is staying in Connecticut after matching to Yale-New Haven Hospital in anesthesiology.
“Match Day symbolizes the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice every medical student has put into their career. It’s surreal that the day is finally here,” said Guerrero. “I am entering anesthesiology – a field where I can directly assess, diagnose, and treat the patient myself, all while performing procedures. I love that I can keep patients safe, comfortable, and pain-free during what is often one of the most stressful days of their lives. It’s an incredible privilege to be trusted with someone’s care.”
Her mom has been her biggest supporter and inspiration in pursuing medicine.
“She was an anesthesiologist in our home country of Ecuador and sacrificed her career to afford my brother and me a chance at a better life. Her courage and resilience motivated me to pursue my dreams. She is the reason I am here today,” said Guerrero. “No matter where you come from or what obstacles you face, your dreams are possible.”
She added, “UConn serves diverse communities and trains physicians who are culturally sensitive, compassionate, and strong leaders. I have had the privilege to learn from the best mentors while caring for patients from backgrounds similar to mine. Attending UConn for medical school has truly prepared me to become the physician I hope to be.”
Guerrero is also proud to be a part of the UConn family.
“I could not be prouder to be a double Husky! From Storrs to Farmington, UConn has given me unforgettable experiences and friendships. It’s an honor to be part of the legacy of physicians caring for communities across Connecticut. I am proud to say that I am the daughter of immigrants and a soon-to-be physician. ¡Sí se puede!”
UConn’s MD/MPH dual degree program allowed Guerrero to complete her MPH degree in just one year, and transformed how she approaches patient care. “It also allowed me to meet incredible mentors and advocate for underserved communities.”
Jack Wolf, 28, of Wethersfield, was excited and nervous for the big Match.
“Match Day feels a little bit like a reality TV show – tears, squeals, laughter, the drama of it all. But I feel so lucky to be a part of the tradition,” said Wolf.
He is also headed into the field of anesthesiology after matching to residency at UConn School of Medicine.
“I feel like I fit in best with the anesthesiology folks. I love learning about physiology and the tools we have for influencing it. I am fascinated by the idea of consciousness and recognize there are so many questions to be investigated and explored.”
“While not in medicine themselves, my mom and dad are the ones who inspired me the most,” said Wolf, who also credited his sister and grandparents.
Wolf said he loved being at home in Connecticut while on this medical school journey. “I really shared this experience with my family each step of the way,” he said.
Wolf concluded, “It’s truly been an honor to become a doctor at UConn. I feel prepared to always do right by my future patients. UConn has prepared me to deliver compassionate and professional care. And Husky Pride is no joke. I’ve heard ‘Go Huskies’ all the way across the country.”
Strong Streak of Students Matching into ENT
Fleur Kabala, 28, from Burlington, Vermont, was “very excited” for Match Day.
“Eight-plus years of hard work and sacrifices has led to this moment,” said Kabala. “I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to finally train in my dream specialty.”
Kabala matched into otolaryngology at Albany Medical Center in New York. She is among the five medical students from the Class of 2026 to match into the small, competitive field of ENT, continuing a strong streak for UConn’s medical school match year after year.
“I wanted a specialty where I could make every patient feel truly seen and heard when they left my office and one where I could have immediate impact on overall health, wellbeing, and quality of life with my interventions,” Kabala said. “Ultimately, I wanted a career that allowed me to improve access to care and make meaningful contributions to underserved and minority communities both locally and globally. All of these things I was able to find within otolaryngology.”
Her parents have inspired her medical career.
“My mother was a radiologist in Africa but was unable to practice medicine after immigrating to the United States. Instead, she worked as a medical assistant at a community health center. Watching her continue to serve patients with the same compassion and dedication, despite the sacrifices she made in leaving her career behind, was deeply moving. Her resilience and commitment to caring for our community showed me the profound impact one person can have on the lives of others,” she shared. “My father’s journey with ESRD also shaped my path to medicine. I had the privilege of walking alongside him as he navigated the challenges of dialysis and the uncertainty of the transplant list. Witnessing his strength through those difficult years, and the humanity of the physicians who cared for him, ultimately solidified my desire to become a physician.”
Kabala wants to tell young people dreaming of becoming a doctor someday, “You can do it!” just like her.
“This journey has felt impossible at times. There were moments when it seemed like medicine was not built for people who looked like me,” said Kabala. “Walking across that Commencement stage will affirm that we do belong in these spaces. I hope it shows another young Black girl out there that this path is possible for her too.”
Kabala says, “Beyond the curriculum, and well-known legacy of producing exceptional physicians for Connecticut, I was drawn to UConn for its Health Career Opportunity Programs (HCOP). Their commitment to supporting underrepresented students through mentorship, leadership opportunities, and community has been incredibly meaningful. HCOP helped create a sense of belonging for many of us and played a pivotal role in shaping my medical school experience. I’ve been so blessed to have been supported by my amazing husband, mom, grandmother, sisters and so this degree is for them too.”
In addition, this year’s Match Day had three students choosing to enter the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), the largest match so far for UConn’s relatively new residency program.
Producing Primary Care Physicians
Noor Taweh ’21 (CLAS), 26, didn’t have to travel too far to find her medical school. She grew up in Farmington, the hometown also of UConn School of Medicine.
Taweh was equally “excited and anxious” for Match Day. She matched into internal medicine training at nearby Yale-New Haven Hospital.
“This is a day that has loomed over us for many years, so it’s a strange feeling knowing the group matching this year is our own,” she said. “I’ve also always enjoyed watching others’ match day videos so it’s sweet to be on the other side now.”
“Internal medicine feels like all the reasons I went into medicine in the first place – developing intimate and long-term relationships with patients, knowing them deeply, as well as my love of pathophysiology and all topics medicine. Lastly, internal medicine feels like the specialty that is most entwined in public health and policy efforts, two things I hope to incorporate into my career.”
Her own experience as a patient with a chronic illness/disability inspired her to become a doctor.
“UConn means the world to me,” she said. “I am a double Husky as well as a Farmington native. Getting to train in the same place I grew up and was also treated as a patient is an incredible thing, knowing I am training in the community that shaped me. I feel confident that I have the skills to begin residency. I want to stay in Connecticut long-term, so what better way to plant roots and continue to foster professional connections than to go to UConn.”
“You (yes, you) can do it!” said Taweh to others dreaming of medical school. “My parents are Middle Eastern immigrants and have spent their whole lives to ensure I could do something like become a physician. They also supported me through a difficult chronic illness journey and carried me to the finish line of medical school. This is for them, too!”
Lucia Duenas-Bianchi, 30, of Glastonbury, immigrated to the U.S. from Peru when she was five years old.
“I got my No. 1,” Duenas-Bianchi exclaimed after matching to UConn School of Medicine for internal medicine residency training.
Since age 13 in middle school she’s been a part of the Health Career Opportunities Programs (HCOP) at UConn Health, founded and directed by physician-scientist Dr. Marja Hurley that aims to get young people of all socio-economic backgrounds interested in future careers in the health sciences. “I went through all the HCOP programs, even for research. I am happily following in Dr. Hurley’s footsteps,” Duenas-Bianchi said.
Duenas-Bianchi is thrilled with her UConn match.
“I’m staying! I’m excited! UConn is family, I can’t leave my family behind. I’m here to stay!”
It’s a Mental Health Provider Match
Helen Liu Bian ’21 (CLAS), 26, from Chesire, was filled with joy and relief on Match Day. She excitedly tore open her envelope to discover she will be training at Zucker School of Medicine – Zucker Hillside Hospital at Northwell Health in New York in psychiatry over the next few years.
“No matter the result, Match Day is a celebration of the years of dedication and sacrifice it took for us to get to this point. We’re going to be doctors!” exclaimed Bian.
Bian was inspired to become a psychiatrist during her UConn medical school education after she did a clinical rotation in inpatient psychiatry at UConn John Dempsey Hospital.
“The clinical exposure you get at UConn is incredible. That ultimately convinced me to become a psychiatrist,” said Bian along with the mentorship and guidance she received from Dr. Kristina Zdanys at UConn Health. “I am going into psychiatry because such a human-centered specialty, as it prioritizes the psychosocial aspects of our patients’ lives, and it helps us build strong therapeutic relationships. There’s also so much to learn about in psychopharmacology and neuromodulation. For me, psychiatry perfectly blends the art and science of medicine.”
Bian concluded, “I am so proud to be a double Husky! After being trained at UConn, I feel confident in my clinical skills and I am excited to take on residency.
Dermatology Here We Come!
Madeleine Tessier-Kay, MPH, 29, hails from Wayne, Pennsylvania and Stamford. She shared the special Match Day moment with her classmates matching to Johns Hopkins for dermatology residency training.
“Match Day is incredibly exciting because it represents the culmination of years of hard work,” said Tessier-Kay. “I’m entering dermatology as it blends complex medical problem-solving with the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with patients and improve their quality of life. I am particularly interested in the intersection of dermatology and public health. My experiences in public and global health first sparked my interest in medicine and the impact physicians can have on broader health systems beyond the individual patient.”
She added, “I’m proud to be a Husky and part of a medical school that emphasizes serving the communities in which we train. Training in a supportive environment such as UConn’s makes all the difference.”
Tessier-Kay will also proudly be the first physician in her family.
“My parents are environmental scientists who have modeled careers focused on making a positive impact, and I’m excited to carry that example forward in my own way as a physician.”
It’s a Love Match Too
Deanna Rivas, 28, of Putnam Valley, New York, and Cesar Rubio Ramos, 25, of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, are feeling extra love this Match Day.
They are one of three sets of partners in the UConn School of Medicine’s Class of 2026 who experienced the added joy of a successful couples-match into residency training within the same institution or geographical area.
“We were both excited and nervous! Since we are couples matching, there’s not just the stress of whether you match or not, but the added extra stress of hoping you match somewhere where you can stay close to your partner,” said Rivas, who is headed into General Surgery at UConn School of Medicine while her partner Rubio Ramos is entering Internal Medicine at UConn.
They both look forward to building the future they want side by side at UConn.
“Sharing this milestone makes the journey ahead even more meaningful. We are very excited to take on the challenges of residency and the adventure of life together!” the happy couple concluded.
Watch the replay of 2026 Match Day!
Congrats to the Class of 2026!
