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Worth the Wait

April 14, 2022

Kerri Thom, MD, MSUMSOM Celebrates Match Day 2022 In-Person Following a Two-Year Hiatus

After years of hard work and steadfast perseverance, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) medical students gathered at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall on March 18, 2022 to take part in this year’s Match Day ceremony. In this annual ceremony, graduating medical students from around the country and at UMSOM discover where they will begin their careers as physicians. This year was especially significant because it was the first in-person celebration with families and friends since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The long-awaited day was worth the wait as students were finally able to reflect and celebrate their milestone accomplishment.

“This year’s ceremony signals a slow, but steady, return to normal. Whatever lies inside those golden envelopes will open a whole new world of possibilities for each student,” said Kerri Thom, MD, MS, Associate Dean for Student Affairs at UMSOM. “Our students’ medical education was disrupted, and they entered the clinical space at the height of uncertainty. The entire practice of medicine has changed and these students are on the forefront of what lies ahead, but I am certain they are prepared to rise to any challenge.”

 Match Day 2022 Video


The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) has reported that the national 2022 Main Residency Match was the largest in NRMP history, with 39,205 total positions offered and 36,277 first-year (PGY-1) positions offered, an increase of 3.1% over last year.

Kelly Bridgham, MD ’22This year, 145 UMSOM senior students matched at 69 different healthcare facilities in 25 states, compared to 68 different hospitals in 25 states in 2021. A full 24% (35/145) of the Class of 2022 will stay in the state of Maryland for their residency training, compared to 59% (84/142) in 2021.

Among UMSOM’s graduating students is Kelly Bridgham, MD ’22. She arrived at UMSOM after spending a year doing research at Johns Hopkins University. It just so happened that I interviewed here at UMSOM first, but I knew right away that it was the right fit for me. Looking back at the last four years, I could not have asked for a better institution for my medical training,” she said. Kelly plans to pursue a career in academic medicine that will foster her passion for teaching, leadership, and research. She matched at Thomas Jefferson University in Otolaryngology. 

Jordan Tutnauer, MD ’22Jordan Tutnauer, MD ’22 initially developed an interest in medicine after volunteering at local hospitals during his undergraduate studies. “I observed how doctors interacted with their patients; I instantly gravitated towards it and knew practicing medicine was something I wanted to do,” he said. “For me, I love the fact that I will be helping to make life better for someone else.” Jordan plans to work with the underserved patient population. He will be headed to Temple University Hospital for an Internal Medicine residency. This summer, he plans to travel internationally and focus on planning his wedding with Kelly Bridgham. They recently became engaged in October of last year.

Serge Tzeuton, MD ’22For Serge Tzeuton, MD ’22, his calling to medicine was very personal. “My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer during the time I was completing my undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP). From that moment, I felt inspired to work hard to get accepted into medical school,” he said. “After seeing what my mom battled, I decided that I wanted to be the person who helped other people’s parents heal and recover from chronic illnesses.” Serge plans to pursue his research interests and immerse himself in community outreach opportunities, specifically in underserved communities. He will remain here in Baltimore at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) for an Orthopedic Surgery residency.

Ashling Zhang, MD ’22Ashling Zhang, MD ’22, began her undergraduate education planning to major in Chemistry; however, she was quickly drawn to Global Health studies. “I had the privilege of studying and assisting with global health research abroad, during which I realized that my interest alone was not enough to make any impact. Knowing this, I became determined to pursue a career in medicine so that I could become part of a solution to the issues I had studied so much,” she said. “I am so grateful to the university for believing in the potential of the hopeful student I was four years ago and for giving me the opportunity to start this journey in medicine.” Ashling will begin a General Surgery residency this summer in Baltimore at UMMC. She plans to continue working on trauma outcomes research and contributing to public and global health projects.

Natalie Hesselgrave, PhD ’20, MD ’22As a non-traditional medical student, Natalie Hesselgrave, PhD ’20, MD ’22, maintains an active life outside of medicine and science. She is a loving wife and proud mom to three active children. Balancing her studies all while raising a young family has been no easy feat. I am incredibly grateful for the help, love, and support my husband has given me for the past 9 years. I get to show my children, Wesley, Evyn Mae, and Hayden, what years of hard work and dedication can achieve,” she said. Before beginning medical school, Natalie had a career as a mental health counselor and later worked as a research assistant at Columbia University, which ultimately gave her the confidence to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. In May, she will be graduating as a physician-scientist from the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) program and will begin an Anesthesiology residency at Yale New Haven Hospital.

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 46 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs, and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished two-time winner of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research.  With an operating budget of more than $1.3 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically based care for nearly 2 million patients each year. The School of Medicine has nearly $600 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding.  As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total population of nearly 9,000 faculty and staff, including 2,500 students, trainees, residents, and fellows. The combined School of Medicine and Medical System (“University of Maryland Medicine”) has an annual budget of over $6 billion and an economic impact of nearly $20 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine, which ranks as the 8th highest among public medical schools in research productivity (according to the Association of American Medical Colleges profile) is an innovator in translational medicine, with 606 active patents and 52 start-up companies.  In the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking of the Best Medical Schools, published in 2021, the UM School of Medicine is ranked #9 among the 92 public medical schools in the U.S., and in the top 15 percent (#27) of all 192 public and private U.S. medical schools.  The School of Medicine works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu

Match Day 2022 Gallery

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