Face-to-Face

In keeping with a tradition that began in 1952, we recently celebrated one of the most exciting milestones in medical education—Match Day. It’s the moment when medical students across the country simultaneously learn where they’ll continue their training and which specialty they’ll pursue. For us in academic medicine, it’s a meaningful and energizing day that reminds us of the privilege we have in shaping the next generation. At the Houston Methodist Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, we are proud to announce the successful match of two exceptional new residents. This brings us one step closer to reaching our planned complement of 10 residents by 2027. It’s a moment of pride for all of us—faculty, alumni, and staff—who have built and nurtured this program over the years. As many of you know from your own experiences, the path to Match Day is demanding, both for the students and for those of us involved in selecting them. It’s also incredibly rewarding. Meeting applicants, hearing their stories, and imagining the impact they’ll have on our field fills us with optimism for the future. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery remains one of the most competitive specialties, consistently ranking in the top five specialties selected by medical school graduates. This year, we received over 300 applications for just two positions. While we were honored to meet some of the most outstanding candidates I’ve seen in years, the increasing competitiveness also reflects broader trends that are reshaping the selection process. With the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) Step 1 now pass/fail, and many medical schools moving away from traditional grading and class rankings, the objective metrics we once relied on are becoming less available. Some schools do not assign honors like Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) or Gold Humanism, and evaluation systems vary widely across institutions. In this evolving landscape, other components of the application have taken on greater importance. Peer-reviewed publications and national meeting presentations now carry significant weight, with more students opting for dedicated research years to strengthen their candidacy. Letters of recommendation have also become increasingly critical. A thoughtful, personalized letter that speaks to an applicant’s integrity, curiosity, and potential can make a real difference. Our department anticipated some of these shifts. In 2022, under the leadership of Dr. Omar G. Ahmed, we launched our own research fellowship program. Now in its third year, it has grown from one fellow annually to two. These one-year positions give students the opportunity to engage deeply in clinical research, build a strong academic portfolio, and develop the professional skills that will serve them throughout their careers. These one-year positions offer students meaningful engagement in research and allow us, as a department, to assess the work ethic, intellectual curiosity, and overall fit of these potential future residency candidates—something no 15-minute interview can match. To date, we’ve had five research fellows, and we are proud to welcome our sixth and seventh this coming year. The program has enriched our department and added value not only to the fellows, but also to our broader educational mission. As we reflect on this year’s Match, I want to acknowledge the collective effort of our faculty in navigating a selection process that grows more complex each year. Together, we remain committed to academic rigor, meaningful mentorship, and fair evaluation as we continue to recruit residents who uphold and elevate the standards of our department and our specialty. Congratulations to all who matched into our incredible specialty this year. For the students, it marks the beginning of a transformative journey. For the rest of us, it’s a powerful reminder of why we do what we do.