UF Match Day 2025: ‘Right place at the right time’
151 Class of 2025 medical students match to residency programs
March 21, 2025 — With Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” playing in the background, University of Florida fourth-year medical student Megan Rizer took the stage to share with her peers and mentors where she will start the next chapter of her life.
Excitedly, she announced she will begin her medical residency training in pediatrics this July at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio.
“It’s just where I wanted to be,” Rizer said. “During my training I’m looking forward to learning about how to treat different diseases and develop relationships with my patients.”
On Friday, Rizer and 150 of her classmates in the UF College of Medicine M.D. Class of 2025 — as well as most graduating medical students across the nation — discovered where they will spend the next several years of their careers for their residency training. The process, called matching, is organized by the National Resident Matching Program and consists of months of applications and interviews that culminate in a letter addressed to the students, sealed inside an envelope until noon.
Driven by purpose
UF Medicine Interim Dean Jennifer Hunt, M.D., M.Ed., emphasized to the Class of 2025 that no matter what institution was noted on the students’ letters, they would end up where they belonged.
“You will be exactly in the right place at the right time,” she said.
Hunt shared with the audience a recent story of how, while she was traveling back to Gainesville on a work trip with Stephen Motew, M.D., M.H.A., president and system CEO of UF Health, the pair helped intervene in a medical emergency as their plane taxied for takeoff — putting them in the right place at the right time to aid a distressed passenger.
“As you open your envelope, also open your heart and mind to this: what is written will be your right place, right time, because you lead a purpose-driven life,” Hunt said. “You are the right person doing the right work, for the right reasons.”
Linda Edwards, M.D., dean of the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, assured the students that they are prepared to begin the next chapter of their medical journeys after working hard and absorbing as much knowledge as possible.
“A good doctor treats disease, while a great doctor treats patients,” she said. “I have confidence that your training at UF will enable you all to become great doctors.”
Meet a few members of the Class of 2025:
Michelot Michel
Photo by Danielle Ivanov
Michelot Michel
Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania
Born to a Haitian immigrant family and raised in Miami, Michelot Michel grew up fascinated by science and research.
With his mom serving as a nurse in Haiti before immigrating to the United States, medicine was in his blood. She would go on to be not just Michel’s inspiration to join the medical field but also his guardian angel, sparking his passion to leave his mark on the world.
Michel’s introduction to research came as he spent summers working at the University of Miami research campus before earning his undergraduate degree at Florida International University, where he majored in biology. Before transitioning to medical school at UF, Michel spent two years after graduation at the Miami VA, working on clinical trials and research on identifying immune markers in veterans with chronic fatigue syndrome.
While he was in medical school, Michel’s mother passed away from a brain tumor, ultimately motivating his interest in a career in neurosurgery.
“Witnessing her battle with this disease was devastating,” he said. “But it also exposed me to the critical need for skilled, compassionate neurosurgeons and the potential for research to drive better treatments.”
In the long term, he aspires to be a neurosurgeon-scientist specializing in tumor immunotherapy, working at the intersection of surgery and innovative cancer treatments.
“I want to lead clinical trials that translate leading-edge research into meaningful therapies for patients with brain tumors, particularly exploring ways to overcome T-cell exhaustion and improve immunotherapy efficacy,” Michel said.
Morgan Andreoni
Morgan Andreoni
Family medicine, University of South Carolina - Greenville
Growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, Morgan Andreoni was introduced to service and health care through family. From navigating life-altering diagnoses in loved ones to being inspired by her cousin, an emergency medicine physician, and her mother’s work in a public school, she learned the value of community early on.
Her undergraduate studies in applied physiology and kinesiology at UF, along with discovering mind-body practices like yoga and becoming a certified instructor, inspired her to pursue medicine.
Andreoni’s passion for service flourished at UF, where she volunteered at the Equal Access Clinic Network and worked at the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UF Health.
During medical school, Andreoni found her calling in family medicine while on a clinical rotation in Jacksonville with associate professor Reetu Grewal, M.D., FAAFP. The scope and intimacy of caring for patients from a wide range of backgrounds offered the perfect balance of preventive care, patient-centered medicine and community engagement.
“The opportunity to build trust, long-term relationships and drive meaningful change resonated deeply,” she said. “I want to create a safe space where people feel they can rely on me.”
In residency, she looks forward to learning from mentors, bonding with peers and inspiring medical students to consider family medicine.
“Family medicine allows you to connect deeply, understand patients’ stories, and make a lasting impact,” Andreoni said. “I’m grateful to pursue a career that aligns with my values and passions.”
Joel Goeckeritz
Photo by Danielle Ivanov
Joel Goeckeritz
Anesthesiology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Raised in a small town in Northern Utah, Joel Goeckeritz’s passion for the medical field stems from his love for neuroscience and engineering. From a young age, Goeckeritz saw himself applying technical advancements to treat complex neurological conditions.
His medical passions mixed with his talent with numbers, and Goeckeritz earned an associate’s degree in accounting and bachelor’s degree in neuroscience. He decided to pursue a career in anesthesiology during his third year of medical school after he realized how perfectly tailored his skills and interests were for the specialty, which requires meticulous attention to detail.
Goeckeritz, a U.S. Navy Ensign, will begin his career with a transitional year at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, after which he will be selected for an anesthesiology residency program or serve a brief operational tour before continuing his medical training.
Goeckeritz said he cares deeply about serving his country and giving back to the community, viewing it as an opportunity to travel the world and experience new cultures, challenge himself and make an impact.
“As a future physician, I am not just an anesthesiologist but also a member of a larger medical team dedicated to providing the best possible care for our patients,” he said.
Goeckeritz hopes to serve as an anesthesiologist for the Navy, providing care for his fellow sailors. After completing his military service, his long-term goal is to settle down, raise a family and care for veterans at a local hospital. Ultimately, he said his dream job would be to work with NASA as an anesthesiologist aiding space exploration and astronaut recovery.
Welcoming new residents
Incoming residents at UF will begin their training this summer.
