SHSU-COM’s Largest Class Celebrates Match Day Success

SHSU-COM’s Largest Class Celebrates Match Day Success

On Match Day, the room is anything but quiet. Music fills the space. Faculty and staff line the room, cheering. Families lean in, phones ready for photos and videos. And then, for just a moment, the entire room seems to hold its breath as the student doctors collectively open envelopes that will give answers to their futures, years of work leading to a single point in time. 

Just as quickly, anticipation gives way to celebration. 

On Friday, March 20, the Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM) Class of 2026 stepped into that moment together, achieving a residency placement rate exceeding 99% for the largest graduating class in the college’s history. 

As envelopes opened across the ballroom, cheers, tears and embraces followed. Each match represents more than a destination; it marks the beginning of the next chapter in a journey shaped by long hours, clinical training and an unwavering commitment to patient care. 

“I’m most excited to go back to my hometown and serve as a pediatrician,” said Brianna Castro, a fourth-year student doctor who matched in pediatrics at UT Health San Antonio. “That community helped shape who I am, and it means a lot to return and give back.” 

This year’s results reflect both the strength of the program and the evolving needs of the healthcare landscape. Nearly 66% of graduates will remain in Texas for residency training, continuing to build the physician workforce in communities across the state. 

Further strengthening the local physician workforce, four SHSU-COM student doctors matched into programs within the Sam Houston Regional Education Consortium, including two in the Family Medicine Residency Program in Huntsville and two in the Psychiatry Residency Program in Conroe.

More than half of the class, a little over 51%, matched into primary care specialties, including family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics. This continued commitment to primary care aligns with the college’s mission to improve access to care, particularly in rural and underserved regions, areas where primary care doctors are needed most. 

At the same time, the Class of 2026 demonstrated a broad range of interests across the medical field. Emergency medicine was the most represented specialty, with 26% of the soon-to-be doctors entering the field. 

Others matched into specialties including psychiatry, anesthesiology and pathology, along with several surgical fields. Among them is a match into neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery, two of the most competitive specialties in medicine and notable milestones for both the students and the program. 

“We’re also seeing strong interest in emergency medicine this year, which speaks to the type of physicians our students are becoming,” said Thomas J. Mohr, DO, dean of SHSU-COM. “They’re ready to meet patients in critical moments and provide care when it is needed most. At the same time, achievements like matching into neurosurgery reflect the depth of talent within this class and the strength of our academic foundation.” 

The Class of 2026 has also played a key role in SHSU-COM’s continued momentum and national recognition. The cohort achieved a 100% first-time pass rate on the COMLEX-USA Level 1 examination, placing the college at the top of the nation for the second consecutive year, while also engaging in research, leadership and service throughout their medical education.

“These outcomes reflect what makes this class so special," Mohr said. "They have approached their education with focus, resilience and a strong sense of purpose. We are proud to see them step into a wide range of specialties, knowing they are prepared to contribute from day one.” 

As they begin residency programs across Texas and the nation, the class will carry forward a shared commitment to patient-centered care and to serving communities with the greatest need. 

Match Day marks a transition, but for SHSU-COM, it also reflects a program moving forward with purpose, one that is steadily strengthening the physician workforce and expanding access to care where it matters most.