On Friday, March 20, 2026, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) students from PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia will celebrate the College's annual Match Day, a momentous occasion where students learn their residency placements, marking a pivotal milestone in their professional lives.
At noon, students across all PCOM locations who participated in the National Residency Ranking Program (NRMP), will join together, sealed envelopes in hand, ready to unveil their placements and take the next step in their healthcare careers. Each PCOM location holds a celebration to commemorate the day, including remarks from faculty and class representatives as well photo opportunities with family and friends.
Some students, including those in the military or entering specialties such as ophthalmology and urology, already know their next step. Mara Crispin, DO '25, placed into PCOM's Ophthalmology Residency Program after spending the past year focusing on research.
Crispin is looking forward to balancing hands-on surgical work with outpatient care during her residency training. “I love having the time to truly connect with patients and build long-lasting relationships through continuity of care,” she said. “Ultimately, I am just absolutely fascinated by the field, and nothing fulfills me more than improving a patient’s quality of life through their sight.”
Crispin's advice to fellow DO students: It's never too early to fuel your interests. Start shadowing, getting involved in research (as she did early on), and connecting with your field.
“PCOM helped me gain early access to ophthalmologists which gave me strong clinical exposure before rotations, allowing me to excel during fourth-year auditions,” she said. “I’' especially grateful for my mentors at PCOM who truly supported me and advocated for me throughout the application process.”
PCOM has a strong track record of near-perfect residency placements for its DO students. In 2025, all three locations mirrored the national residency placement rate for osteopathic medical students with 99% of students obtaining postgraduate opportunities, including residency programs and research fellowships.
“Our students' residency successes reflect not only their hard work and perseverance, but also the supportive learning environment and high standards that define PCOM," said Peter Bidey, DO '08, MSEd, FACOFP, dean and chief academic officer of the osteopathic medicine program. “Matching at such a high level affirms our students' readiness to excel as compassionate, patient-focused physicians.”
Learn more about PCOM's Match Day 2026 and the celebrations on each campus location.
Established in 1899, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
For general media inquiries, please contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at 215-871-6300 or communications@pcom.edu. Visit our media relations page to view contact information for public relations personnel.
Gabrielle DePietro
Associate Director, News and Media Relations
Office of Marketing and Communications
Email: gabrielde2@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6304
© 2026 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
