This year’s Fellowship Match Day on December 4, 2019, brought great news for University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Medicine residents seeking subspecialty fellowships—the additional training required to practice in many fields within internal medicine.

All 16 residents (including members of the class of 2020, plus this year’s UW and VA chiefs) who applied for fellowships matched into programs: nine at UW–Madison and seven at other institutions.

“The fact that over half of our residents matched into UW-Madison fellowship programs shows our commitment to developing our faculty pipeline,” noted Michelle Kipp, MS, internal medicine residency program manager.

Here are all of our residents who matched, their subspecialties, and their fellowship institutions:

• Matthew Caldis, MD, MS; Gastroenterology; UW–Madison
• Heedeok Han, MD; Nephrology; Columbia University
• Meredith Kavalier, MD; Infectious Disease; UW–Madison
• Shannon Li, MD; Cardiovascular Medicine; Rush University
• Matthew Martini, MD; Cardiovascular Medicine; UW–Madison
• Amanda McIntyre, MD; Allergy and Immunology; UW–Madison
• Trevor McKown, MD; Rheumatology; University of Colorado
• Emily Nachtigal, MD; Hematology/Oncology; UCLA
• Phil Palmon, MD; Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine; UW–Madison
• Jen Peugh, MD; Rheumatology; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
• David Pierce, MD; Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine; University of Arizona
• Callie Plafkin, MD; Rheumatology; UW–Madison
• Ankur Prasad, MD; Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine; UW–Madison
• Dylan Stanfield, MD; Gastroenterology; UW–Madison
• Rebecca Stern, MD; Infectious Disease; Vanderbilt University
• Chelsea Uganski, MD; Hospice and Palliative Medicine; UW–Madison

How the Match works

Organized by the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®), the Medical Specialties Matching Program (MSMP) encompasses 14 internal medicine subspecialties and four sub-subspecialties.

Applicants digitally submit their profiles and rank their preferences of available positions. After reviewing applications, program directors also submit their rank order of candidates. The NRMP algorithm then “matches” applicants to programs. 

The process is designed to fill approximately 5,576 fellowship openings in the United States—the largest number in the NRMP’s history, according to an NRMP press release. 

Department of Medicine to welcome 30 new fellows

The Department of Medicine also looks forward to welcoming 30 trainees into its fellowship programs. They include the nine internal medicine residency alumni mentioned above (three of whom are our chief residents), plus 21 residents from institutions across the U.S., including Cleveland Clinic, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Indiana University Health, Loyola Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

The department’s fellowship programs were very happy with their incoming fellows. All of the programs work very hard to attract the very best applicants, noted Kara Westmas, MS, fellowship programs coordinator. “Compared to national fill rates, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Geriatrics and Allergy all did exceptionally well this year.”

Infectious Disease accepted Justin Massey, MD, PhD, and Hematology and Medical Oncology accepted John Ebben, MD, PhD. Both are trainees in our Physician-Scientist Training Program (PSTP) who will complete the residency portion of their training in June.

Resources:

• “NRMP Medical Specialties Matching Program Matches Nearly 5,000 Applicants To Fellowship Positions,” National Resident Matching Program press release. Published December 9, 2019. Accessed December 18, 2019

Updated September 21, 2021.

Banner photo: Chief resident Callie Plafkin, MD (on left), is one of 16 Department of Medicine residents who matched into subspecialty fellowships this year. Photo credit: Clint Thayer/Department of Medicine.