Match Day 2025: Senior medical students match in residency programs — and love

By Lindsay Hughes 

“There must be something in the water with our class,” Yulong Stokes remarked. “I feel like we have an abnormally high number of marriages!” 

Indeed, the Whiddon College of Medicine Class of 2025 – a class of 68 medical students – includes six couples who are engaged or married.  

Virginia Farley, too, noticed the trend in her class: “Who knew the Whiddon College of Medicine is also a matchmaker!”  

The couples went through the National Resident Matching Program with the goal of staying together with their partners during residency training – a process referred to as “couples match.” 

Last December, three members of the class who are serving in the military found out their residency placements. 

On Match Day, March 21, the Class of 2025 convened at the USA Mitchell Center to discover their fates. This year, 46% of the class matched at programs in Alabama, including 18 students who matched at USA Health hospitals. 

These are a few of their stories.  

Andrew Stokes and Yulong (Huang) Stokes  

Andrew and Yulong Stokes

Yulong, originally from Fuzhou, China, always had an inclination toward medicine, but the years of schooling ahead seemed daunting. She found her way back to her first passion while working as a scribe in Providence Hospital’s emergency department. She went on to graduate from the University of South Alabama with degrees in biomedical sciences and philosophy.  

Andrew, from Mobile, initially pursued engineering but, after taking an EMT course, he became interested in practicing medicine and patient care. His curiosity led him to earn degrees in emergency medical services and biology from USA. 

The two met early in their academic careers at South – in a general chemistry class their freshman year. They formed a strong friendship through studying together and their involvement in campus ministry, eventually growing into a relationship in October 2020. 

When Andrew took a Chinese class, “I frequently asked for her help — definitely not just an excuse to spend more time with her,” he quipped.  

Andrew worked as a paramedic while preparing for medical school. Yulong’s early acceptance into the Whiddon College of Medicine made Andrew’s decision to attend the same medical school a no-brainer. Before their Step 1 exam, Andrew proposed to Yulong, and they tied the knot in December 2023, during winter break of their third year.  

“Soon after, I had the incredible opportunity to visit China, where I met her extended family — an experience I will always cherish,” he said.  

Yulong said matching as a couple “has made our options paradoxically both more limited and more expansive. As challenging as this process has been, I am elated that we are going through this together. Overall, I feel pretty stoked (no pun intended) to find out where we end up.” 

The Stokes learned they will stay in the Mobile area. He matched in family medicine at South Baldwin Regional Medical Center, and she matched in neurology at USA Health.  

William Smith and Virginia Farley 

Will Smith and Virginia Farley

For Daphne resident Will, aspirations of pursuing medicine began at just 11 years old, when a career interest test in middle school revealed physician as his top result. After shadowing doctors throughout high school and college, his passion only deepened. He earned a degree in chemistry at the University of Alabama. 

Virginia, on the other hand, found her calling later. During her undergraduate studies at Sewanee: The University of the South, she volunteered at free clinics in rural areas of the Cumberland Plateau. There, the Birmingham native realized the profound shortage of primary care providers in underserved communities and decided to become part of the solution.  

As a medical student at the Whiddon College of Medicine, she has participated in the Primary Care Pathway, which enhances the educational experience by preparing students to serve populations in rural and underserved areas. 

Will and Virginia’s connection began on the second day of M1 orientation when they sat next to each other in the auditorium. Will, eager to break the ice, shared his love for making French press coffee, only to nervously choke on his water. Despite the awkward start, they quickly bonded, joining study groups in which their friends marveled at how well they clicked. By the end of their first semester, they were inseparable. 

In July 2024, amid the stress of preparing for Step 2, Will proposed to Virginia, offering a welcome break from studying to celebrate. They look forward to their wedding on May 17, 2025. 

“We are forever thankful to the Whiddon COM for bringing us together,” Virginia said.  

The couple matched at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, where he will train in internal medicine, and she will train in family medicine.  

Nicholas Friend and Mary Claire Carlton  

Nick Friend and Mary Claire Carlton

Nick, a Mobile native, knew from an early age that medicine was his calling. Fascinated by science and human anatomy, he made it his goal to become a physician. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in genetics.  

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Mary Claire, originally from Letohatchee, Alabama, grew up with aspirations of becoming a fashion designer – and with a fear of blood. But after some personal and family experiences with medicine in high school, her passion for healthcare was sparked. She earned a degree in microbiology from Auburn University.  

Both chose the Whiddon College of Medicine for medical school, valuing the opportunity to stay close to their families in Alabama. They quickly found a community who made the journey even more rewarding.  

“We have loved being here – particularly because our class is full of the most wonderful friends in the world – and would absolutely choose it again,” Mary Claire said. 

In their first year of medical school, they started out as friends through sports like tennis and intramural volleyball. Nick asked Mary Claire out “at least five times” before his persistence eventually paid off. After serenading Mary Claire at a karaoke night, she finally agreed to go out with him. By their third year, they were engaged and married, and now they are expecting a baby in April. 

The pair reflected on the challenges of the couples match and how the process would have been insurmountable without the guidance of their advisors at USA. 

“Between the couples match, an incoming tiny human, and our two very energetic dogs, we have given up on being nervous and are just choosing to take each day as it comes,” Mary Claire said.  

After opening their envelopes together on stage, they announced they will stay at USA Health, where he matched in internal medicine, and she matched in general surgery.  

Sidney Bailey and Addison (Barchie) Bailey   

Sidney and Addison Bailey

During his junior year of high school in Monroeville, Sidney took a health science class that allowed him to shadow healthcare providers at the local hospital, clinics and nursing homes. Seeing the impact these caregivers had on the community inspired him to pursue medicine. He went on to earn a degree in biomedical sciences from Auburn University. 

Addison of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, always knew medicine was her calling, inspired by her father’s career as a physician. She found her niche in family medicine, drawn to the relationships she could build with patients and their families. She graduated from the University of South Alabama with a degree in biology. 

Their paths led them both to the Whiddon College of Medicine, where they met on the first day of M1 orientation. 

“Our last names were already side by side alphabetically, so we ended up being anatomy lab partners,” Addison said. “We started studying together and our relationship just continued to blossom.”  

By the end of their first year, they were engaged in Juneau, Alaska, and by the end of their second year, they celebrated with a beautiful wedding in Pensacola, Florida. Most recently, at the end of their third year, they welcomed their son, Bryson, “just in time to help us study for Step 2 CK,” Addison said. 

Although the couples match process was overwhelming at times, they used some of their in-person interviews as opportunities for family road trips. Now, they are filled with excitement for the next chapter of their careers.  

“We have been through a lot of major life events during our time in medical school,” Addison said, “and, although it has been quite challenging at times, we would not change it for the world.”  

The family will be staying in the Mobile area, as he matched in diagnostic radiology at USA Health, and she matched in family medicine at South Baldwin Regional Medical Center. 

Alexander Lund and Hope (Harris) Lund  

Hope and Alexander Lund

Growing up in Dothan, Alabama, Alexander was immersed in medicine from a young age, as both of his parents were physicians. He never imagined a career outside of healthcare and graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in biology. 

Hope, originally from Opelika, Alabama, had her heart set on becoming a pediatrician since she was 8 years old. She earned a degree in biomedical sciences from Auburn University.  

Their paths converged at the Whiddon College of Medicine. Alexander felt an immediate connection with the school during his interview, appreciating the smaller class size and the charm of the city. Hope had heard about the Whiddon COM through pre-med meetings at Auburn University and was drawn to it for its close-knit community, which was only confirmed during her interview day. 

At the start of their M1 year, they sat at the same small group table but weren’t particularly close. That all changed when they started crossing paths at social events, realizing they enjoyed each other’s company. From there, their relationship grew. They dressed up as Beauty and the Beast for the class Halloween party, followed by their first official date at Red or White. 

“We went from dating to engaged to married over the next two and a half years of medical school,” Hope said. “We have enjoyed being on this adventure together – studying hard, conquering exams, applying to residency, making memories with friends, and traveling on our breaks.”  

As Match Day approached, they were filled with both nervousness and excitement, knowing their journey together is just beginning. 

“We are grateful for the opportunity to match as a couple given that we do not see ourselves continuing this journey apart,” Hope said. “Overall, we are excited because of the adventure that lies ahead.” 

The couple will be moving to Gainesville, Florida, where they both matched at the University of Florida – he in internal medicine and she in pediatrics.  

View the full Match Day results.  

See more photos from Match Day on Flickr.  

Watch the full livestream of the event on YouTube. 

Integrative Health and Wellness Program gaining state and national recognition

Robert Israel, M.D., teaches a class of medical students in the kitchen.

By Michelle Ryan-Day 

The USA Health Integrative Health and Wellness Program is making a significant impact on lives, one plate at a time—and it’s starting to gain attention statewide and even nationwide.

Earlier this week, Alabama Public Radio (APR), a network of public radio stations based in Tuscaloosa, aired a feature on the program’s work. The segment highlighted the experiences of medical students gaining essential nutrition education and high school students learning to create healthy snacks in USA Health’s teaching kitchens.

National Public Radio (NPR) picked up the story and aired it during the Morning Edition show, expanding the listening audience to nationwide. 

Under the expert guidance of program director Robert Israel, M.D., FACP, an internal medicine physician at USA Health, and Ben Schrubbe, M.D., a family medicine physician in Baldwin County, the hands-on cooking classes are giving participants the skills they need to make healthier choices.

“Cori Yonge, a great friend and reporter for National Public Radio, asked to spend time with us in the kitchen with classes both of med students and a class from LeFlore High School,” Israel said. “Her questions were insightful and revealing, and we learned from them. We were also very lucky to be able to connect her with our good friends at the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative who were able to relate what we are doing locally to what is happening globally.”

Since joining the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative in 2021, a nationwide network of interactive culinary teaching facilities, USA Health has provided life-changing experiences to a diverse range of participants. From high school athletes, teenagers, and young children and their parents to community members, USA employees, and medical students, the program is teaching everyone how to prepare meals and snacks that are as delicious as they are healthy.

Israel credited the existence of such a program to the leadership at USA Health and the University of South Alabama and their vision of a healthier Gulf Coast community. 

“Their ongoing and steadfast support is the reason this program exists, and this story should really be seen as the ability to see something valuable where nothing existed before,” he said. “We have really felt a building momentum around our message and a deep yearning for a healthier nutritional foundation, and that is gratifying for us. We hope to use this as a springboard to even better things in the next year or so.”  

The program shines a light on two critical nutrition-related issues. First, it advocates for expanding medical school curricula to include nutrition education, as diet-related diseases contribute significantly to healthcare costs and mortality. Second, it emphasizes the importance of hands-on cooking experiences that focus on reducing highly processed foods and incorporating more plant-based, nutrient-dense options into everyday diets.

Through these practical cooking classes, participants gain the skills to make lasting dietary changes and reduce their risk of chronic health issues.

The Integrative Health and Wellness Program has two teaching kitchens – at University Commons in Mobile and Mapp Family Campus in Fairhope, but a third will be built at the new medical school under construction at USA. 

Schrubbe, who echoed gratitude for APR’s coverage to a wider audience, recognized another benefit the teaching kitchens provide.  

“The concept of ‘Food is Medicine’ allows our patient population to be directly involved in improving their health and the health of their families,” he said. “I have noticed that our classes not only provide important nutritional information and culinary skills, but also have the added benefit of building community.”   

APR offers programming in classical, folk, jazz and nostalgic music programs, as well as local news and news and feature programs from National Public Radio, Public Radio International and American Public Media networks.

Learn more about the Integrative Health and Wellness Program and cooking classes at the University Commons and Mapp Family Campus teaching kitchens.  

Check out the APR story: “Gulf coast doctors dish up a recipe for good health.” 

Listen to the NPR story: “Medical students in Alabama are learning about nutrition in the kitchen.”

14th Gulf Coast Trauma Symposium set for March 26-28

All healthcare providers – including medical students and residents – involved in treating critically injured patients are invited to register and attend the 14th Gulf Coast Trauma Symposium, scheduled for March 26-28 at the Golden Nugget Biloxi Hotel & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.  

The first two days of the symposium will feature nationally and regionally recognized speakers discussing the management of patients across the care continuum, including pre-hospital care, for injured patients. The third day will feature pre-hospital courses, including an ABLS (Advanced Burn Life Support), TEAM (Trauma Evaluation and Management) and Ultrasound training.  

Nicole A. Stassen, M.D., a professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, will give the William A.L. Mitchell Endowment Lectureship, titled “The Pebble in the Pond: The Ripple Effect of our Profession on our Lives.” 

Stassen also serves as the director of both the University of Rochester Surgical Critical Care Fellowship program and the Kessler Family Burn Trauma Intensive Care Unit. She is the medical director of the Kessler Trauma Center Trauma Survivors Network. 

Bryan A. Cotton, M.D., MPH, will present the John Emory Campbell Lectureship, titled “Greater Than the Sum of its Parts: The Use of Whole Blood in the Resuscitation of Hemorrhage.” Cotton is the John B. Holmes Professor in the Clinical Sciences at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. He is also director of the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship program and co-director of the Shock-Trauma ICU at Memorial Hermann Hospital. 

The Trauma Symposium is a great opportunity to collaborate with healthcare providers, community leaders and other stakeholders regarding trauma-informed care, violence prevention, and disaster preparedness and management. 

The event is hosted by the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at USA Health University Hospital in conjunction with the Alabama Gulf EMS System. Last year more than 250 healthcare providers attended the symposium. 

To receive a discount on registration, medical students may register using the code Student2025. Residents may use the code Resident2025. 

Register on eventbrite. 

See the event program. 

Children’s & Women’s Hospital receives grant for neonatal abstinence syndrome

Maran Ramani, M.D., professor of pediatrics

and division chief of neonatology, will 

administer the grant.

By Casandra Andrews

The nationally recognized Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital has received a $175,000 grant from the City of Mobile to expand its neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) program.

The Mobile City Council voted March 11 to distribute $2.2 million from lawsuit settlements to several local organizations working to end the opioid crisis.

In 2024, the Helios Alliance was selected to develop a process for soliciting and evaluating proposals from local organizations combating opioid abuse and addiction. The Helios Alliance and an evaluation committee of community members reviewed 32 applications seeking funding derived from previous lawsuits the City of Mobile filed against opioid manufacturers. Of the applications submitted, 16 were approved.

The grant for USA Health will be administrated by Manimaran (Maran) Ramani, M.D., professor of pediatrics and division chief of neonatology, to implement a new framework to reduce hospital stays among infants prenatally exposed to opioids. Saminathan Anbalagan, M.D., an assistant professor of pediatrics and neonatologist who leads NAS care in the NICU, will serve as co-administrator of the grant.

“Our incredible team of providers, nurses, and caregivers at Children’s & Women’s Hospital have poured their hearts and expertise into studying and delivering top-notch care for the neonatal abstinence syndrome in the NICU. This funding is a game-changer for revamping our NAS program,” Ramani said. “With this grant, we will roll out the Eat, Sleep, Console care framework, a proven approach that dramatically reduces hospital days for neonates with opioid withdrawal syndrome without increasing adverse outcomes.”

The NICU staff includes a multidisciplinary team of neonatologists, nurses, educators, and therapists, all dedicated to providing the best care for the region’s tiniest patients. The area’s only Level III NICU offers the most advanced care for premature and critically ill newborns. The 98-bed NICU admits more than 1,000 infants each year and includes specialized rooms for babies with chemical dependency and those particularly susceptible to infection.

“In any daunting endeavor, success is rarely achieved by continuing to do the same thing — an understatement when it comes to the opioid crisis,” said Caroline Rutledge Etherton of the Helios Alliance. “A multi-layered, community-wide, dynamic initiative is necessary to create the mosaic of committed care and tangible support needed to address this crisis. It is clear that USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital is dedicated to making a meaningful impact, and (its) commitment to our community is greatly appreciated.”

Cancer researcher awarded $300,000 NSF grant to study mitochondria

Aishwarya Prakash, Ph.D., an associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, is principal investigator for the grant.

By Carol McPhail

A researcher at the Whiddon College of Medicine has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to explore ways to improve the function of mitochondria, considered the powerhouses of cells. 

Aishwarya Prakash, Ph.D., an associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the Whiddon College of Medicine and a cancer researcher at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute, said the award will support research using cutting-edge computational modeling and various techniques in the lab involving culturing human cell lines to explore innovative ways to protect mitochondrial health while contributing to the basic understanding of future strategies to mitigate its dysfunction.  

Mitochondria are essential for producing the energy required to sustain life, but they also are a significant source of harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species, which can damage mitochondrial DNA and impair cellular function. When exacerbated by pollution and harmful radiation, this damage can potentially lead to a myriad of maladies, including cancer. Mitochondrial DNA repair plays a role in mitigating such diseases.

“Our work aims to enhance the natural repair mechanisms of mitochondrial DNA by improving the targeting of key repair enzymes to mitochondria without disrupting their other cellular roles,” said Prakash, who serves as the principal investigator for the grant. 

Co-principal investigator Tom Johnsten, Ph.D., a professor of computer science at USA, worked to develop the computation framework that the researchers will use to target the DNA repair enzymes to the mitochondria. The strategy is called Mitochondrial ARtificial Targeting, or MART. 

“MART uses a computational framework to edit the signals that target specific proteins called DNA glycosylases to the mitochondria to enhance repair within the mitochondria,” Prakash said. “With the funding, we will study the impact of targeting these glycosylases to the mitochondria on overall cellular health.”