Forty-five soon-to-be medical school graduates MATCH into DOM residency programs

A collage of images from MATCH Day 2025: (center) Participating College of Medicine – Tucson students gather on the steps of the Old Main Building on the U of A Mall to celebrate where they’re headed after graduation to train as resident physicians; (top left) Justin Le and Laura Tran announce their staying in Tucson for the COM-T Internal Medicine Residency Program; (top right) Drs. Tom Vanderah and George Fantry enjoy the moment with four students matching into four different specialty programs, including Guanzhe Sun who’ll do a transitional year at the COM-T IM Residency Program before starting an Anesthesiology Residency here; (bottom right) a female student who matched into a Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) in Cardiology at the University of Michigan; (bottom left) more students celebrating, including Sun (far right). (Photos courtesy of College of Medicine – Tucson and U of A Health Sciences)

Congratulations to the 41 medical students graduating this spring who matched into the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson and three that matched into the Advanced Dermatology Residency Program here as well as two more who’ll start in the program this summer.

Five come from the College of Medicine – Tucson, in addition to a fellow in the Nephrology Fellowship Program, Mohamad Akeel Al-Mula Hwaish, MD (see EXTRA sidebar story below), who did his prior residency training overseas (Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi) and needed to complete a U.S. residency program.

For a more specific by-the-numbers breakdown of where the college’s 123 graduating students are headed, see this link for March 21’s MATCH Day results. Spoiler alert: 43% will complete their residencies in Arizona, 33.8% in primary care and 20.7% in internal medicine.

Thrilled with results

“This year’s Match Day was a huge success for our graduating medical students as well as for our recruitment of incoming medical residents,” said Department of Medicine Chair James Liao, MD. “I look forward to welcoming our new resident physicians in late June and working with them as they undertake their training. I’m confident they’ll make exceptional contributions not only to our intellectual environment, but also to enhance the quality of care we provide to our patients.”

Dr. Liao thanked the residency program directors, Laura Meinke, MD (Internal Medicine), and Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, MD (Dermatology) and coordinators as well as DOM Vice Chair of Education Amy Sussman, MD, and the division chiefs, who led the efforts to recruit such outstanding trainees to our department.

“Our program is so pleased to have filled with top notch U of A residents as well as others from around the country and world. We look forward to adding these outstanding physicians to our residency family,” said Dr. Meinke.

“This year’s College of Medicine – Tucson IM-bound student match was phenomenal. I am thrilled to keep some of the top talent right here at our Internal Medicine Residency. The day was absolutely inspiring and by far, one of the most, if not the most, exciting days of the year! I'm so proud of our students," said Dr. Sussman, who also serves as director of the IM Clerkship Program that engages with medical students on rotations during their third and fourth years.

EXTRA: A personal tribute to DOM Education staff from an unusual residency candidate

To become an internist was always my goal ever since I was a third-year medical student at the Ras Al-Khaimah Medical & Health Sciences University in the United Arab Emirates. I began my journey with internal medicine in 2017 when I got accepted in an ACGME-I program in Abu Dhabi. After I completed four years of residency, I wanted to pursue Nephrology as a subspecialty. And I felt that there was no better place to get my learning than in the States.

I spent 14 years living in UAE and letting go of my life and relationships there was not an easy decision to make. So, in 2023, I began my journey by completing my steps and applying for a Nephrology fellowship. Fortunately, I was accepted into the program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. I’ve really enjoyed my time in Tucson and the faculty and hospital staff have been extremely welcoming and kind, and everyone was very supportive. I knew, in order to be a board-eligible nephrologist, that I had to complete another IM residency in the States, which is a challenge I was willing to accept. Having spent close to two years in Tucson and at Banner – University Medicine here, I realize how much everyone had supported me and helped me. So, on Friday, March 21 –  MATCH Day, I was hoping to match here, so I could continue to be around such a wonderful and encouraging environment. 

I was fortunate to have worked with such wonderful faculty and residents who advocated for me to stay. I am very thankful for the Department of Medicine Vice Chair of Education and Nephrology Fellowship Director Amy Sussman, MD, and fellowship program coordinator Bersabe Lopez for being so supportive and encouraging throughout my time here. I appreciate all the faculty and residents I’ve worked with and am extremely excited to embark on this new journey and continue to improve as a physician.

— Mohamad Akeel Al-Mula Hwaish, MD

More than skin deep

“We could not be more excited to welcome this exceptional group of physicians to our program,” said Dr. Curiel-Lewandrowski about Dermatology’s matches and incoming residents. “Their talent, dedication, and passion for our specialty are evident, and we have no doubt they will make a lasting impact on our team and the patients we serve.”

One of the graduating College of Medicine – Tucson students, Sheyda Mesgarzadeh, will do her transitional or internship year here as a resident in internal medicine before continuing as a dermatology resident here as well in her second year (PGY2) of residency training. 

The other incoming dermatology residents who’ll join the program as PGY2s next year are Hayden Smith, who’s graduating from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and Gillian McPherson, who’s graduating from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Smith will do his transitional year at Baylor S&W All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. McPherson will complete her transitional year at WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Georgia.

This year’s incoming PGY2 dermatology residents, who matched with the program last year, are: 

• Allison Kranyak, MD, who graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville, South Carolina, and did her internship year at Dartmouth Healthcare and is currently a psoriasis clinical research fellow at the University of California, San Francisco, and
• Tara Samra, MD, who graduated from the University of Miami and completed her internship year here at the College of Medicine – Tucson and did a rotation with the program last fall.

Internalizing the match

Of the 42 incoming internal medicine residents joining us in July, four are preliminary and will complete only their internship year with the IM Residency Program here – including Mesgarazadeh. The others are Wesley Chastain, who’s graduating from the Tulane University School of Medicine, Cooper Stateler, who’s graduating from the Oregon Health & Science University, and Guangzhe Sun, a College of Medicine – Tucson graduating student who’ll continue on to the college’s Anesthesiology Residency Program as a PGY2 (FY26-27).

Categorical interns who’ll do their full IM Residency Program here (with where they did their medical studies – click on image at right for PDF with their photos) include: 

• Emily Adamson | A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, Missouri
• Shreeya Agrawal | New York Medical College, Valhalla
• Gowtham Anche | Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – New York City
• Luca Bertozzi | George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Washington, DC
• Sarah Busch | University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
• Spencer Chee | Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University, Norfolk
• Esther Cheng | Creighton University School of Medicine
• Costa Dalis | Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis
• Adriana Diviero | Loyola University Chicago Stitch School of Medicine
• Joy Eskandar | University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
• Gagandeep Gill | Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – New York City
• Faith Kim | University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando
• Hyun Kim | University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
• Megan Kohn | Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia
• Justin Le | University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
• Sydney Lovins | Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis
• Benjamin Maglajac | University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
• Nina Maitra | University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine
• Brett Martin | Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis
• Grace Miller | California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Clovis
• Noorhan Monther | Creighton University School of Medicine
• Mohamad Akeel Al-Mula Hwaish, MBBS | RAK College of Medical Sciences, Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
• Michael Palomares | Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Parker, Colorado
• Nicole Price | Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown
• Ethan Renfrew | University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine, San Antonio, Texas
• Ricardo Reyes | A.T. Still University of Health Sciences School of Osteopathic Medicine, Mesa, Arizona
• Rachel Rosow | Frank H. Netter, MD, School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, North Haven, Connecticut
• Christopher Sallurday | Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Carolinas Campus, Spartanburg, South Carolina
• Andres Sanchez | University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
• Ryan Schmidt | Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland
• Mujtaba Shah | Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, Provo, Utah
• Khaja Siddiqui | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock
• Kenneth Silvestro | University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
• Nellie Toliver | University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque
• Laura Tran | University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
• Shawn Wang | Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Clark County, Nevada
• Adam Western | Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield
• Tim Yu | Creighton University School of Medicine

We’ll see you all in late June for pre-residency orientation!

ALSO SEE:
“Future physicians celebrate Match Day, anticipate next chapter in medical careers” | Posted March 24, 2025
“Future physicians to celebrate milestone on Match Day” | Posted March 18, 2025
“Showers of joy for 2024 Match Day as future physicians learn where they’ll train” | Posted March 19, 2024