March 17 marked the start of National Match Week, a significant milestone for medical students as they discover whether they've been matched with a residency program. This exciting occasion is celebrated by students, their families, and the state of California, which stands to benefit from hundreds of new resident physicians who will help address the state's physician shortage.

Every third week in March, medical students learn through the National Resident Matching Program whether they've secured a spot in a residency program. The week culminates with Match Day on Friday, when students find out where they will spend the next few years of their residency training.

“Match Week is a time of immense excitement and pride for students and their families, marking a pivotal moment in their journey toward becoming physicians,” said Shannon Udovic-Constant, M.D., president of the California Medical Association (CMA). “For California, this week is not only a celebration of these future physicians but also an opportunity to welcome the hundreds of dedicated individuals who will contribute to the health and well-being of our communities. With the highest residency retention rate in the nation, California stands to gain the most by investing in the training of physicians here.”

“I am proud to join my fellow California physicians in extending a warm welcome to our incoming interns and residents, who will help shape the future of health care in our state.”

California is projected to need 4,100 more primary care clinicians by 2030 to meet the state's growing health care demands, especially in rural and low-income areas that currently have some of the lowest physician-to-population ratios. Investing in graduate medical education (GME) residency programs is crucial to addressing this shortage.

CMA is committed to expanding residency opportunities in California through its philanthropic arm, Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC). Each year, PHC partners with the University of California to administer CalMedForce, a program funded by state tobacco tax revenues from Proposition 56 (2016). To date, CalMedForce has supported the creation of more than 1,300 residency positions, with 57% located in medically underserved counties.

Last year, CMA led a coalition to pass Proposition 35, a ballot initiative overwhelmingly approved by voters that will dedicate Medicaid funding to GME. Preserving Medicaid funding in Congress is key to safeguarding those investments and ensuring we have the physician workforce we need for our health care needs now and into the future.