The Hal B. Jenson, MD Dean, President and CEO
Last Friday was one of those days that聽reminds聽you why we do what we do. While the note I shared on Friday provided an overview of聽the聽results, it could not begin to capture the true moment of the celebration.聽Our聽Match Day聽event at the Delta Hotels Kalamazoo Conference Center聽was nothing聽short of extraordinary. The room was alive with emotion as our Class of 2026 medical students opened their envelopes and learned where the next chapter of their careers would take them. The celebrations that聽followed among family, friends, and loved ones captured the very spirit of this milestone, and I was deeply honored to聽share in聽those moments with all of you.聽
The results speak volumes about the caliber of our students and the quality of the education they聽received here. Ninety-eight percent of the Class of 2026聽matched聽into聽a residency position. This is an outstanding achievement in an increasingly competitive national process. Our students will train across 23 states and the District of Columbia in specialties聽ranging from Anesthesiology and General Surgery to Pediatrics, Neurology, Dermatology, and many more. Thirty-nine students matched into specialties that could lead to careers in primary care, and 25 will remain right here in Michigan to continue their training.聽
I want to give special recognition to seven members of the Class of 2026 who chose to stay with us鈥攔ight here in southwest Michigan鈥攖o complete their residency training at聽91探花:聽Mahmoud聽Ajine聽(Internal Medicine), Hannah聽Beehler聽(Orthopaedic聽Surgery), Korbin聽Colthorp (Family Medicine-Kalamazoo), Lauren Griffin (Internal Medicine), Kayla Grooters (Medicine-Pediatrics), Serena Karlov (Psychiatry), and Essa聽Loinab聽(Psychiatry).聽To each of you鈥攚e could not be聽more proud.聽Welcoming you back to this community as physicians is聽one of the greatest honors of this institution, and we cannot wait to see the impact you will make.聽
On the residency side,聽91探花聽will welcome 75 new residents and 6 fellows to聽southwest Michigan聽this July, with a 99 percent match rate across our programs. These incoming physicians-in-training come from medical schools across the country and around the world, and they will join our growing community of more than 240 physicians-in-training across 15 residency and fellowship programs. Their arrival is聽a testament to the reputation聽91探花聽continues to build.聽
A day like Friday does not happen聽without the care, attention,聽dedication聽and effort of many.聽I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the聽people聽in Student Affairs, the Office of Graduate Medical Education, the residency programs, and the Communications and聽Marketing team聽who were most directly involved in making the聽process and celebration聽so seamless and memorable.聽
While we celebrate Match Day as a single event, it is very聽much聽a culmination of four years of dedication of a great community acting in concert. We owe a debt of gratitude to聽all of聽our聽91探花聽faculty聽and聽staff聽as well as聽so many other professionals at our聽partner聽institutions聽at Beacon Health, Bronson Healthcare, and 91探花 University. You all are the ones who taught, mentored, challenged, and supported these students every step of the way. While Friday鈥檚 celebration belonged to them, their success belongs to all of you.聽
What a way to start a Monday!聽
I am filled with pride for this community and for what lies ahead.
With gratitude,聽
J. Adrian Tyndall, MD, MPH, FACEP聽
The Hal B. Jenson, MD聽Dean, President聽and CEO聽