Passionate Resident Doctor Reflects on Match Day and Medical School Journey

Elliot Flint (M.D. ’25) will never forget March 21, 2025. The day marked an exhilarating and nerve-racking milestone, symbolizing the culmination of many years of hard work and passion. It was the second-ever Match Day of the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine.

Match Day is a long-standing medical school tradition that marks graduates’ transition from medical school into residency. Classmates come together to learn the results of a complex matching system that tabulates students’ rankings of potential residency programs as well as these programs’ reciprocal ranking of the student candidates and then produces ideal matches.

Flint’s journey to becoming a doctor began long before Match Day — and even before he stepped foot in the Fertitta Family College of Medicine. It first started with childhood curiosity.

“I think when I was like 10 years old, it was one of the three jobs I knew existed,” Flint remembers. “The only jobs you know are doctor, firefighter and president, so I just liked the idea of it.”

In college, his understanding of a doctor’s work deepened. While volunteering with Interfaith Ministries, he witnessed how language barriers and immigration status compounded health disparities, echoing similar issues he’d observed growing up in Texarkana, Texas. These experiences helped him understand how social structures — not just individual choices — often shape health outcomes.

After completing his undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University, Flint applied to many medical schools. He ultimately chose Fertitta Family College of Medicine for its mission to serve underserved populations and its community-focused curriculum. Once he was admitted, Flint received the Michael and Rebecca Cemo Foundation Scholarship, a full-tuition award.

“I was very excited by the mission of the school, but also, I couldn’t turn down a full ride,” explains Flint.

“The amount of debt you're carrying from medical school makes a difference in the specialty you might choose. For me, when I was making my choice of specialty, I felt like I had one less consideration. I could really just follow where my passions and my values were.”

The scholarship granted him the freedom to pursue emergency medicine — a specialty he’s deeply passionate about due to its accessibility to all patients, regardless of background or insurance status.

“The cost of becoming a physician is immense — financially, in time and energy, and even in terms of family planning and retirement,” Flint says. “If one aspect of that can be easier, and that is student finances, it makes a big difference. I promise you; it is money well spent.”

While he studied at UH, he was inspired by mentors like Dr. Amber Zulfiqar, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences, who taught him how to find creative and innovative ways to deliver care, no matter the systemic barriers patients are facing. This is a lesson he hopes to carry forward into his work.

Flint recalls feeling nervous on Match Day.

“I think the hard thing was finding out in front of everyone. I was very nervous about that because, you know, I have this list of a dozen programs or so. I could match anywhere from one to 12.”

Ultimately, he was happy with the results. He matched at the Department of Emergency Medicine at UTHealth Houston.

"All the reasons that I've loved living here and training here in Houston are still here, and it's going to be a whole new host of experiences, so I'm excited,” Flint shares.

In his free time, he enjoys exploring the city's beautiful bayous of Houston on his bike, and he looks forward to continuing to do this.

Having survived his Match Day, he has sage advice for any medical students anxious about their own Match Days.

“It's good to know that if a program interviews you and a program matches you, that means they want you. Even if they’re not your first choice or your second choice, whatever name is on that list is somewhere that's invested in you and investing in making you a good physician. The person on the other side of the envelope is excited to see you show up there.”

Flint's journey is a powerful reminder that investing in the next generation of physicians means investing in a healthier and more compassionate Houston.