A Full Circle Match
Match day brings a UF medical student to UF COMJ for residency
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”
These words, penned by Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel, capture the sense of possibility felt by graduating medical students across the nation on Match Day, Friday, March 20, 2026.
Ricardo DeLeon remembers that day and the excitement of what was to come. Envelope in hand, he awaited the moment he would learn where residency would take him and his family.
“Early on, I felt that the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville would be an excellent place to continue my training,” DeLeon said.
As is tradition for UF medical students, graduates took to the podium to announce where they are to complete their residency. Earlier in the ceremony, students privately viewed their results with family before stepping on stage to announce them publicly. DeLeon took a slightly different approach than his counterparts – opening his results for the first time on stage at the annual Match Day ceremony. His results would reveal he’d be joining the department of emergency medicine at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville as a resident physician in July.
DeLeon is one of three UF medical students in this graduating class to match with residency programs at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. For some students, they return, completing their medical degree and moving on to residency as two-time Gators.
Dr. Ricardo DeLeon poses with a Match Day poster showing he matched with the emergency medicine residency program at the UF College of Medicine in Jacksonville.
“As a UF College of Medicine student, I’ve had the opportunity to experience UF COMJ across multiple specialties,” DeLeon said. “I’ve consistently encountered a supportive and approachable culture among the faculty and staff.”
This match day comes as educational opportunities are expanding at the UF College of Medicine in Jacksonville. This May marks the launch of the pilot cohort of the Jacksonville Regional Medical Campus. The program allows UF medical students to complete their third and fourth years of medical school in Jacksonville full-time.
Student rotations allowed DeLeon to get a front row seat to what residency would look like on this campus.
“My emergency medicine rotation here reinforced my confidence in this program,” he said. “The residents, nurses, techs and attendings each played a role to help me learn how to navigate and succeed in the emergency department while also making it an enjoyable place to work.”
A native of Jacksonville, DeLeon is returning to the city he calls home.
“I am confident that the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville will provide a strong clinical education throughout residency. I am especially excited to return home and be closer to the beach and some of my favorite local restaurants,” DeLeon said.
The 2026 Match for the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville was a success with all 18 programs participating, filling 100% of their positions. In July, the college will welcome 101 new incoming resident physicians. 24 of those students come from Florida medical schools. There are 59 Doctors of Allopathic Medicine and 42 Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine.
