Excitement During 2022 Match Day

Graduates matched from Washington to Florida and San Diego to Baltimore, but 67% are concentrated on the West Coast and Hawaii – the largest percentage in school history. This year’s graduates matched at or above the national matching rate for osteopathic students in 14 of the 17 disciplines. The Class of 2022 proudly sends eight graduates into military medicine and national service in the fields of Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology.

“I could not be more proud of these students. They have been through so much to get to this point,” said Dr. Tami Hendriksz, Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine. “12 years of primary school, 4 years of undergraduate education, and 4 years of medical school, the last two of which have been during a global pandemic. To see all that they have been through, and now where the next phase of their training will be – it’s incredible. Our Class of 2022 graduates have matched into exceptional residency programs across the country.”

Across the country, graduates of medical schools learned where they will be going for residency in a simultaneous online release of results that is considered a rite of passage for young physicians. The matching process starts in a student’s last year of medical school where they apply to various residency programs and submit a rank order list of their choices to the National Resident Matching Program.

In turn, residency programs submit a list of their candidates in preferred order. The Matching Program uses a computer algorithm to match students to residencies based on the student’s ranked order and complementary match with the program. While in residency for the next three to seven years, graduates will gain specialized training in their area of focus.

“We are a close community of faculty and students working together. To see our talented and committed students achieve so much at this culmination of their hard work is a true blessing,” said Dr. Walter Hartwig, Director of Enrollment Management and Student Success. “Each newly matched resident will improve the lives of thousands of people in their osteopathic career. All credit to them and their patient-centered visions.”

As the 22nd graduating class, TUCCOM’s Class of 2022 will soon join over 2500 alumni osteopathic physicians in various specialties. Highlights of this year’s residency match include:

• The largest and most diverse match in California in our program history – 59% of all matches and matches in 13 different residency disciplines
• 60% of the class will enter primary care residencies, continuing a top-20 national rating for TUCOM over the last two decades.
• Eight graduates combining residency training with military service in the United States Army, Navy and Air Force, with five matching to California Navy and Air Force medical centers.
• Although comprising less than 2% of the 7500 national graduates, TUCOM graduates captured 20% of the coveted specialty matches in Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine (ONMM).

“To complete their two years of clinical rotations under the constraints of a global pandemic is a remarkable display of resiliency by these student-doctors,” said Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Sarah Sweitzer. “To do so and still be the embodiment of the College of Osteopathic Medicine’s mission of primary care – setting records for our university in many categories – is a testament to the dedication of the students, faculty and staff with TUCOM.”