UF Match Day 2026: ‘You earned every bit of this’
141 medical students match into residency programs in 27 states
March 20, 2026 — To distract herself from the nerves that come with the residency matching process, University of Florida medical student Lexie Nielsen planned her wedding for March 8, less than two weeks before learning where she will live and work for the next several years.
“I was nervous, but after I found out on Monday that I matched, that reassured me that everything would be OK,” said Nielsen, who will return to her hometown this summer to train in anesthesiology at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. “It feels like I’ll be coming home, where I’m meant to be.”
She is among the 126 members of the UF M.D. Class of 2026 — as well as most graduating medical students across the nation — who discovered Friday where they will undergo 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.
Another 11 graduating UF medical students previously matched into programs with an earlier match date, and four more will complete their medical residencies as active U.S. military members.
UF medical students and their loved ones marked the occasion at the G. Edwards Evans Champions Club at UF’s football stadium, cheered on by their mentors and peers, with additional supporters tuning in via livestream from as far away as India.
Shelley Collins, M.D., the college’s senior associate dean for educational affairs, congratulated this year’s class on all they’ve accomplished to prepare for residency, and reminding them that no matter where their lives and careers take them, they have a home at the UF College of Medicine.
“As I have told you all over and over again since you got here: Once you are ours, you are always ours,” she said. “No matter where you go, we will always be a source of support and guidance, as long as you need us. That never changes. Just as you have thrived during medical school, you will continue to grow and thrive as residents.”
Collins shared a video that she first showed the Class of 2026 on their first day of medical school orientation. In it, Duke University women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson informs her team that life never gets easier — instead, you just get better at handling hard things.
“What’s coming for you is not going to be easier, but you can do it because you have learned to handle hard better,” Collins said. “Remind yourself of why you started this journey. Nobody gave you this; you earned every bit of this, and you have earned the right to be proud of what you have accomplished.”
This summer, the UF students will disperse for training at programs in 27 states, from Massachusetts to Hawaii.
Michaela Rechdan, who was drawn to dermatology when she volunteered with refugees in Lebanon before starting medical school, was nervous that she would not match into a program for her very competitive specialty.
An Orlando native who has spent the past nine years in Gainesville, she was thrilled to learn Friday that she will train in dermatology at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
“It felt validating to know the amazing people I met from that program saw something in me,” she said. “I am really excited about training there and living in a new place, exploring a new terrain.”
Meet a few more members of the UF M.D. Class of 2026:
Photo by Danielle Ivanov
Silvija Milanovic
Dermatology, University of North Carolina
First-generation college student Silvija Milanovic discovered her interest in medicine early, inspired by time spent in the cardiac catheterization lab where her stepmother worked as a technician.
Fascinated by the blend of science and service, she pursued clinical experiences throughout high school and college. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she worked as a medical scribe in the emergency department before taking a gap year as a medical assistant and spending time with family before beginning medical school at UF.
In Gainesville, Milanovic, a native of Serbia, found a community that helped shape her into the physician she hopes to become.
“Over the past four years, I’ve received the education and support I needed to grow into the best possible future physician and person,” she said. “I’ve been surrounded by incredible classmates who pushed me to be better and supported me along the way.”
Through service with Equal Access Clinic Network and CHOMP Melanoma, she saw firsthand how difficult it can be for patients to access dermatologic care. Those experiences led her to pursue dermatology — a specialty she believes can profoundly improve patients’ quality of life.
As she prepares to return to the University of North Carolina for dermatology residency, Milanovic said she looks forward to the responsibility that comes with caring for patients.
“I’m most looking forward to taking greater ownership of my patients and continuing to learn every day,” she said. “This will be even more rewarding as I begin dermatology residency and finally train in the specialty I’ve been working toward for so long.”
Photo by Danielle Ivanov
Griffin Stinson and Danielle Snyder
Vascular surgery and OB/GYN, Medical University of South Carolina
Although Griffin Stinson and Danielle Snyder both studied biochemistry during their undergraduate years at UF, the couple didn’t meet until after they both graduated.
Over four years of medical school, the Florida natives navigated long nights and busy rotations side by side. Now, heading into both residency and marriage, they will train in their respective specialties at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Stinson, who felt inspired by the surgical mentors he encountered while on clinical rotations, is looking forward to a career in vascular surgery, where he’s excited at the chance to have greater hands-on interactions while training in the operating room.
“Seeing how the surgical faculty at UF teach the residents and fellows makes me excited to receive that kind of instruction and pass it on,” said Stinson, who hopes to pursue a career in academic medicine.
Snyder will specialize in obstetrics and gynecology.
After spending time working in the Equal Access Clinic Network during medical school, she feels prepared to work with patient populations who have faced barriers to health care access. One of her career goals is to volunteer internationally with an organization like Doctors Without Borders, serving women in resource-limited settings.
During her residency training, Snyder is excited to build long-term relationships with patients, particularly following women through their pregnancies.
“As a medical student, you rotate frequently, which inherently limits continuity,” she said. “I’m excited to become a steady, reliable presence in my patients’ lives.”
Ahead of Match Day, Snyder and Stinson kept busy with final rotations and wedding planning. Snyder also said she’s tried to make the most of the time she has remaining with her medical school cohort before everyone in the class begins their residencies.
“We’ve had so much fun going through medical school together,” she said. “It’s been hard, and definitely a lot of work, but even the hardest days felt lighter because we were doing it together. We’ve built incredible friendships that will stay with us long after graduation.”
Photo by Danielle Ivanov
Xianni Simmons, M.S.
Orthopaedic surgery, Tripler Army Medical Center
A self-described “band geek” and multisport athlete, Xianni Simmons spent her weekends volunteering at an animal shelter and her weekdays at track practice, church and Bible study — a schedule set by a mom who believed in staying active and engaged.
For the Riviera Beach, Florida, native, medicine felt personal. Her mother’s diagnosis of lupus showed her how deeply health care providers can impact not just patients but entire families.
“It is a privilege to care for people in their most vulnerable moments,” she said.
After earning a master’s degree in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University and conducting ophthalmology research during two gap years in Baltimore, Simmons arrived at UF ready to grow. Over four years, she found mentorship, lifelong friendships and an SEC football atmosphere she won’t forget.
She matched into orthopedic surgery — her original interest as a former Division I athlete. Now a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Simmons said she looks forward to serving on a team again during her residency at Tripler Medical Center in Honolulu and becoming the kind of surgeon who trains the next generation.
“Opening that military match email sent so many emotions through me,” she said. “It was a moment when all the hard work and dedication of the last decade came to fruition. It has been a long time in the making, and I truly could not be more grateful.”
Welcoming new residents
Incoming residents at UF will begin their training this summer.
Snapshots from UF Match Day 2026
Photos by Nate Guidry
