Wands weren’t required, but magic was certainly in the air at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (MCOM) Match Day celebration, as fourth-year medical students gathered with family, friends, faculty and loved ones to discover where they will spend the next chapter of their medical careers.
This year, 177 graduating MCOM students eagerly opened their envelopes at noon, joining thousands of medical students across the country who simultaneously learned where they will spend the next three to seven years of their careers training in their chosen specialties. For these students, the moment marked the culmination of years of rigorous study, clinical training and a highly competitive application process.
Of this year’s graduating class, 27% will remain in Florida to complete their residency training, with 18 students matching at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. The most popular specialties were internal medicine, diagnostic radiology, anesthesiology, general surgery and psychiatry. Additionally, 35% of students matched into primary care fields.
This impressive group of future physicians secured placements at some of the most prestigious residency programs in the country, including Harvard University, Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, Cleveland Clinic, the University of Chicago, Vanderbilt University, Duke University, the University of Virginia, Emory University, the University of North Carolina, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, New York University, Wake Forest University, the University of Florida, Baylor University, the University of Michigan, the University of Colorado and the University of Southern California.
At USF Health, Match Day is as much about celebration and community as it is about individual achievement. Each graduating class selects a theme for the event, and this year’s class chose “A Magical Match: The Next Chapter Begins” inspired by the mystical world of Harry Potter.
Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, congratulated the students for reaching this milestone occasion.
“I couldn’t be more excited for you as you take this pivotal next step in your career,” Dr. Lockwood said. “Wherever your residency takes you, from Gryffindor to Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or even Slytherin, please know that you will always have a home with us at the Morsani College of Medicine.”
Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (center) with medical students at Match Day 2025 March 21.
The excitement carried through the afternoon as Christopher Jackson, MD, associate dean of the MCOM Office of Student Affairs, took the stage for his first Match Day at USF, serving as master of ceremonies.
"The experience was exhilerating and the energy of these future doctors is so wonderful," Dr. Jackson said. "They are a special class and it was really gratifying to see them celebrate today after years of hard work and dedication."
Meet a few members of the class of 2025:
Julia Gallagher, Internal Medicine at University of Michigan
For Julia Gallagher, Match Day is more than just a milestone — it’s the continuation of a family legacy. The Orlando native grew up listening to stories from her grandfather, a general surgeon, and her father, a colorectal surgeon, both of whom modeled how physicians can serve as advocates for their communities.
That legacy, combined with her own passion for science and problem-solving, led Gallagher to Vanderbilt University, where she studied neuroscience, and eventually to the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.
Gallagher found herself drawn to internal medicine during her clinical rotations, particularly through experiences at the VA and Tampa General Hospital.
“I loved the problem-solving and critical thinking that internal medicine demands,” she said. “But even more than that, I valued the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with patients.”
Throughout her four years at USF, Gallagher also dedicated herself to mentorship and teaching — something she calls “one of the most meaningful parts” of her medical school experience. As director of the USF Health Plexus program, she helped guide and connect aspiring health care professionals, offering support and advice to pre-med students navigating their own journeys.
“Mentorship has been so important to me, and being able to pay that forward has been incredibly rewarding,” she said.
Gallagher matched in internal medicine at the University of Michigan, her No. 1 choice. She is excited to train at an academic medical center and ultimately pursue a fellowship in gastroenterology, where she can continue combining clinical care with mentorship and teaching.
“It’s hard to believe we’re finally here — the culmination of all the hard work our class has done,” she said. “I’m so excited for this next stage, where I can keep growing and really hone my skills.”
Putt Vithayaveroj, Emergency Medicine at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Va.
Putt Vithayaveroj is set to take on two of the country’s most honorable callings: military officer and physician. Vithayaveroj, a Woodland, Calif. native and class of 2025 SELECT student, will be spending his residency years at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Va., where he will train as a U.S. Navy emergency medicine physician.
His path to medicine and military service began after one of the world’s most devastating natural disasters. In 2011, shortly after completing a high school study abroad program in Japan, Vithayaveroj watched from afar as the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami struck. Amid the devastation, he was struck by the swift and compassionate response of the U.S. military, especially the Navy.
After graduating from the University of California Berkeley in 2015, Vithayaveroj returned to Japan to teach English to elementary and middle schoolers. Among his students were survivors of the 2011 disaster, who told him stories of how those events changed their lives forever.
In 2016, he returned to California and began working as an emergency medical technician in Oakland. It was there he was introduced to health care and found his “passion and purpose for helping people through the worst of times,” he said.
Now, Vithayaveroj is eager to unite that purpose with his long-standing admiration for the Navy by providing care to the country’s service members and their families as a Navy officer and doctor.
“When all of the pieces came together, I realized all I wanted to do was help people during their lowest points,” he said. “I look forward to caring for our troops during some of their most difficult times. Being able to serve our military members is one of the highest honors anyone can ask for.”
William West, III, plastic surgery at new york university
For William West III of Niceville, Florida, the path to becoming a physician took root on the baseball field, where as a high school player, he met veterans and wounded warriors who attended his team’s home games. Seeing firsthand the impact of disfiguring injuries, he realized he wanted to dedicate himself to practicing reconstructive surgery to help others heal and feel whole again.
“Reconstructive surgery is a specialty where there is rarely just one solution,” West said. “I’m able to lean on my background in engineering and problem-solving to find creative options for each patient. Plastic surgeons have the unique ability to truly enhance a patient’s quality of life and, in some cases, help them gain some lost confidence.”
A standout on and off the field, West graduated as valedictorian from Niceville High School while excelling in both baseball and basketball. He continued his athletic and academic excellence at Columbia University, earning Magna Cum Laude honors with a degree in biomedical engineering and recognition as an all-conference pitcher. He went on to complete a master’s degree in biomedical engineering at Rice University before starting medical school.
Since coming to USF Health, he has taken on various student leadership roles and earned multiple recognitions for his academic and clinical excellence, including the Jack F. Ross Medical Scholarship, John and Elizabeth Ackerman Endowed Scholarship and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Student Scholarship.
Now approaching graduation, West reflects on the last four years “thankful and grateful” for the lifelong friends and colleagues he’s made and for the staff, faculty and professors who recognized his potential and invested in his journey.
“The last four years have been incredible. It’s everything I hoped my medical school experience would be and more,” said West. “I’m very thankful for all the mentors who have guided me in both the clinic and my research endeavors, helping to me move closer to my goal of landing a residency in reconstructive surgery. If I had to do it again, I would 100% choose MCOM.”