Match Day is one of the most anticipated milestones in a medical student’s journey. This year, the University of Kentucky College of Medicine celebrated the Class of 2026 as they learned where they will continue their training as resident physicians.
Across all four UK College of Medicine campuses — Lexington, Bowling Green, Northern Kentucky, and the Rural Physician Leadership Program (RPLP) in Morehead — students gathered alongside family, friends, faculty, and staff to mark the occasion together.
At noon ET, medical students across the country simultaneously opened their envelopes from the National Resident Matching Program, revealing the residency programs where they will train over the next several years.
For many, the moment represented the culmination of years of early mornings, late nights, and countless hours spent learning how to care for patients.
It also reflects the college’s broader commitment to advancing health care across the Commonwealth. With multiple campuses and clinical training partnerships in communities throughout Kentucky, the UK College of Medicine is preparing physicians who are equipped to address the state’s most pressing health challenges.
At the Lexington Campus, Dean Chipper Griffith, MD, MSPH, reflected on the significance of the day and the road ahead.
“This year’s Match Day is especially meaningful as we celebrate the largest graduating class in the history of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine,” said Dean Griffith. “Each of these students began this journey with the dream of becoming a physician and today marks the next step toward making that dream a reality. After years of dedication and training, they are now moving forward to residency where they will continue developing the skills needed to care for patients. Whether they remain in Kentucky or train elsewhere before returning, they are helping us fulfill our mission of ensuring that communities across the Commonwealth have access to well-trained physicians.”
The Class of 2026 celebrated a strong Match Day outcome with a 99% placement rate. Nearly 200 students matched into residency programs across 22 specialties.
True to the college’s mission to improve the health of Kentuckians, approximately 46% of graduates will remain in Kentucky for residency training, with 72 students continuing their training at University of Kentucky College of Medicine residency programs.
For many students, Match Day also represents the chance to stay close to the communities that have shaped them. Meghan Walker Urhahn chose the UK College of Medicine–Bowling Green Campus in part for its mission to train physicians for Kentucky communities. Originally from Wickliffe, Ky., she was excited to match into UK’s general surgery residency in Bowling Green, allowing her to continue her training in the region before eventually returning to serve her hometown.
RPLP student Drew Smith said she was "so excited" to match into emergency medicine at UK in Lexington. As someone who likes to be busy, she enjoys the fast-paced environment of an emergency department and looks forward to serving patients as a resident physician. "Emergency medicine is just who I am through and through," she said.
Smith expressed how immersive and supportive her experiences were learning from health care teams in the UK St. Claire and UK Chandler Hospital emergency departments during medical school. "UK has always felt like home," she said.
Looking ahead, the University of Kentucky continues making major investments in the future of medical education across the Commonwealth. Construction of the Michael D. Rankin MD Health Education Building in Lexington is nearing completion. Slated to open in 2027, the Rankin Building will feature state-of-the-art classrooms, expanded simulation facilities, and collaborative learning spaces designed to support generations of future physicians.
For the Class of 2026, however, the focus is now on the next chapter. In just a few short months, they will step into hospitals and clinics across the country as residents — ready to build upon their training and become the physicians they were meant to be.
