Match Day 2026: Medical Students Learn Their Residency Destinations
The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Match—a pivotal moment for graduating medical students—took place on Friday, March 21, 2026, at noon. This is the day students across the United States simultaneously discover where they will begin their residency training.
Geisel School of Medicine Celebrates Match Day
This year, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth celebrated the event at Spaulding Auditorium in the Hopkins Center for the Arts on the Dartmouth campus. Interim Dean Steven D. Leach, MD, welcomed students, family, friends and guests, including Dartmouth Provost Santiago Schnell, PhD [1].
Dean Leach emphasized that Match Day represents years of preparation, growth, resilience, and discovery, and celebrates the supportive community at Geisel. He expressed confidence in the readiness of each graduate, noting they carry the values of Geisel with them [1].
Sonia Chimienti, MD, dean of educational affairs, acknowledged the students’ dedication and hard work. Provost Schnell drew a parallel to mathematics, explaining that matching involves pairing the right individuals with the right opportunities [1].
Record-Breaking Match
The 2026 Main Match saw a record 48,050 applicants vying for 44,344 certified residency positions, surpassing the previous year’s numbers [1]. Specialties, including internal medicine, experienced an increase in available positions.
Geisel’s Class of 2026
Ninety-four members of the Geisel School of Medicine’s MD Class of 2026 matched into residency programs across 22 states and 21 specialties. Primary care specialties—family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics—remained popular choices, with 30% of the class selecting these fields. Anesthesiology and psychiatry were also frequently chosen. Eight students matched into residency programs at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center [1].
Titilayo (Titi) Mabogunje MED ’26, delivered the class toast, expressing optimism about the impact the graduates will have in their new roles [1].
The Matching Process
The Match, which began in 1952, utilizes a computer program managed by the NRMP. Students submit their program preferences, and programs submit lists of applicants, with the NRMP’s algorithm creating the matches [1].