A calling to care: Med student Sara Khandani looks ahead to Match Day

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 19, 2025) — When Sara Khandani arrived in Kentucky at the age of 10, she faced an unfamiliar world. She had left behind her homeland of Iran, spoke limited English, and was suddenly navigating a place that felt entirely foreign. Despite these challenges, she excelled academically, driven by a deep-seated determination and the values instilled in her by her family.

Khandani’s father was a physician in Iran, dedicated to treating patients of all ages. Sometimes patient care extended beyond the walls of his clinic. She vividly recalls visitors to their home at all hours — patients seeking his care — and his unwavering commitment to healing. His example shaped her understanding of medicine, not just as a career, but as a calling.

She spent her later childhood living in Kentucky, but Khandani had always imagined leaving for college. Although she received several scholarship offers from other universities, the University of Kentucky’s offer surpassed those, ultimately leading her to remain in Kentucky and attend UK. Further encouraged by her success in UK’s pre-med program, Khandani decided to stay in the Commonwealth for medical school and follow in her father’s footsteps. 

“The past four years at the UK College of Medicine have been some of the most memorable of my life,” said Khandani. “I received the best education imaginable and met some of the greatest people along the way.” 

Quickly approaching graduation from the UK College of Medicine in May, Khandani is ready to face her next challenge: residency. 

For her, and other fourth-year medical students around the country, the next step of their medical training will be determined by the National Residency Match Program (NRMP). Designed to keep the match process fair and objective, NRMP utilizes an algorithm to pair the wishes of students with the needs of residency programs throughout the U.S., culminating in an annual event called Match Day.

To prepare for Match Day, students spend months completing paperwork and interviewing with hospitals before submitting a ranking of their top choices. Residency programs submit a similar list with preferred students, position openings, and other preferences. Celebrated annually on the third Friday of March at noon ET, Match Day marks the release of those pairings during which students learn the institution, specialty and location of their residency program.

The UK College of Medicine is celebrating Match Day 2025 across all four of its campuses on this Friday, with events taking place in Lexington, Morehead, Bowling Green and Northern Kentucky. Fourth-year students and their families are invited to gather at their respective campuses for the big moment when envelopes are opened simultaneously, and they learn where they will continue their medical training. 

“I’m excited for what’s ahead for my classmates, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes all of us," said Khandani.

For her, medicine is about more than science and skill — it is also about compassion, resilience and a profound connection to patients. As Khandani takes the next steps in her training, she carries with her the lessons of the past: the strength to persevere, the heart to heal and the unwavering belief that she is exactly where she is meant to be.