Western Atlantic University School of Medicine (WAUSM) proudly reports a 100 percent Match rate for all students who participated in the 2026 residency placement cycle, marking a historic milestone for the young, fast‑rising medical school. This achievement is the result of our students’ hard work and the dedicated faculty, staff, and teams who supported them throughout their medical school journey.
WAUSM students secured residency positions across a broad range of specialties, including Surgery, Child Neurology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), Emergency Medicine, and Primary Care, reflecting their diverse interests and exceptional preparation.
While the majority of placements were earned through the US National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), we are especially proud that one WAUSM student also matched through the highly competitive Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) – a distinction that underscores not only the global readiness of our students but also the growing international recognition of the quality of a WAUSM medical education.
This achievement follows WAUSM’s exceptional 2025 academic outcomes, in which students earned 100% first‑time pass rates on both the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 exams and the externally evaluated Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) – results that underscore the strength of WAUSM’s modern, student‑centered MD Program. Consistent with standard medical school practice, WAUSM updates its outcomes each year on July 1 to uphold its commitment to transparency and academic excellence.
Provost and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Paula Wales called this a “key achievement” for WAUSM.
“This 100% residency Match is a defining moment, not only for our students, but for the future of WAUSM,” she said. “We designed WAUSM to develop master adaptive learners who think like doctors from their earliest weeks of training. Our immersive, flipped‑classroom curriculum, early career training, and unwavering focus on student success have proven to be catalysts for these outstanding results.”
President Dr. Joseph Flaherty echoed Dr. Wales sentiments saying, “Our students showed the world what WAUSM stands for.”
Dr. Flaherty went on to praise the charter class for its excellence:
“These results demonstrate the academic rigor, compassion, resilience, and the readiness of our students to excel in a demanding clinical environment. Achieving a 100 percent Match rate, following 100 percent USMLE Step 1 and 2 first‑time pass rates in 2025, demonstrates that the WAUSM model works. It proves that when you combine exceptional teaching with an immersive, case‑based, active learning curriculum, students rise to meet – and exceed – the highest expectations.”
A Modern MD Program That Delivers Results
WAUSM’s MD Program is anchored by highly specialized and hands-on career advising that begins on day one and guides students through specialty exploration, professional development, and residency preparation every semester. This advising foundation is strengthened by robust, US-based clinical clerkships that place students in partner teaching hospitals for half of their training, providing the real-world experience, mentorship, and exposure essential for residency readiness.
WAUSM’s leadership and faculty, who have collectively trained more than 25,000 physicians over the course of their careers, ensure every student receives personalized mentoring and support through a 7:1 student‑to‑faculty ratio and a learning environment purposely built for success.
A Milestone That Sets the Foundation for the Future
The 100 percent Match rate stands as proof that the school’s mission – to cultivate outstanding, patient‑centered physicians – is being fulfilled at the highest level.
“This milestone validates everything WAUSM was built to do,” said Executive Dean and Chief Academic Officer and Chair and Professor of Family Medicine Dr. Scott Ippolito. “Our students are prepared not just to enter residency, but to thrive in it and become the kind of physicians the world urgently needs.”