UArizona Restructures ‘Match Day’ in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

TUCSON, Ariz. — Out of an abundance of caution for the welfare of students and employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional, large-scale Match Day ceremony hosted by the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson has been canceled. Instead, medical students will hold smaller, private celebrations with their friends and loved ones to celebrate their Match results.

Colleges of medicine across the nation usually host festive events for fourth-year medical students during their last semester of medical school. Known as Match Day, these events occur simultaneously on the third Friday of March for aspiring doctors to learn where they will begin their careers as physicians through residency training programs.

All UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson medical students will be invited to pick up a sealed envelope containing their match results at 9 a.m., Friday, March 20. The envelopes will be distributed outside by the Hippocrates statue between the Sarver Heart Center and College of Pharmacy buildings east of the Cherry Avenue and Drachman Street intersection. The news media is invited to cover the pickup, but some students may opt to open their envelopes at a later time in the company of friends and family.

“This was not an easy decision to make; we fully understand that our medical students have been looking forward to Match Day for almost four years now,” says Kevin Moynahan, MD, deputy dean for education. “Match Day ceremonies around the country are being modified or canceled in light the COVID-19 outbreak. While this is a change from our usual Match Day celebrations, it does not change the fact that we are very proud of our students. This day represents the culmination of four or more years of medical school and the beginning of a new stage in their journey.”

For the latest information from the UArizona on the novel coronavirus COVID-19, visit this central website for updates and guidance.

PLEASE NOTE: Media are invited to attend and cover this event, but Match Day is not open to the public.

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NOTE: Photos/images available upon request.

About the University of Arizona College of Medicine –Tucson
The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson is shaping the future of medicine through state-of-the-art medical education programs, groundbreaking research and advancements in patient care in Arizona and beyond. Founded in 1967, the college boasts more than 50 years of innovation, ranking among the top medical schools in the nation for research and primary care. Through the university's partnership with Banner Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country, the college is leading the way in academic medicine. For more information, visit medicine.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn).

About the University of Arizona Health Sciences
The University of Arizona Health Sciences is the statewide leader in biomedical research and health professions training. UArizona Health Sciences includes the Colleges of Medicine (Tucson and Phoenix), Nursing, Pharmacy, and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, with main campus locations in Tucson and the Phoenix Biomedical Campus in downtown Phoenix. From these vantage points, Health Sciences reaches across the state of Arizona, the greater Southwest and around the world to provide next-generation education, research and outreach. A major economic engine, Health Sciences employs nearly 5,000 people, has approximately 4,000 students and 900 faculty members, and garners $200 million in research grants and contracts annually. For more information: uahs.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram).

Media Contact: David Mogollon