Dr. Brian Schonewald, Internal Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
If you allow it to consume 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it will fill every nook and cranny of your life. That’s why I always stress the importance of deciding in advance how much of your life medical school is allowed to fill. How big is the box you’re willing to give it? Where should you set your boundaries? Viewing medical school through this lens allowed me to prioritize the things that brought me life outside of academics — exercise, reading, friendships, family, church. While medical school and extracurriculars took up most of my time, I found greater joy in medicine by nurturing balance with the other things that truly mattered.
As I transitioned into application and interview season, I was struck by how this metaphor stayed with me. At every interview, it felt like show-and-tell. I opened my medical school box and shared what was inside: service-learning projects, lessons from the wards, and moments of personal growth. However, despite the time and effort I had poured into filling this box, it sometimes felt like the box wasn’t full enough.
That sense of inadequacy weighed heavily on Match Day. Surrounded by my family and classmates, I opened my envelope and saw that I had not matched at my first-choice program. In that moment, doubts crept in: Was my box not big enough? Did I make a mistake?
Now, three years later, I’m on the other side. As a rising chief resident, I’ve interviewed hundreds of residency applicants, listening to their show-and-tell presentations and seeing the contents of their respective boxes. Looking back, I couldn’t be happier with where I matched. I’ve made lifelong friends, found immense joy in caring for patients, and grown my skills and knowledge.
What I’ve learned through this process is that the interview and Match are as much about programs choosing you as they are about you choosing programs. You will match at a program that wants you. They will see something in your box — your experiences, values, or potential — that resonates with them. That is a profound and special feeling—a wonderful foundation for beginning the next chapter of your journey.
Whether you match at your first or 15th choice, or whether you go through SOAP, you will end up at a program that sees your worth. And once you start residency, you’ll have the chance to place your medical school box on a shelf and pick up a new one — the residency box. This new box will be filled with incredible opportunities, experiences, and growth, just as your medical school box was.
As you approach the Match, remember: your worth is not defined by the size of your box or its contents. It’s about the journey you’ve undertaken, the people you’ve impacted, and the person you’ve become. You will find your place, and it will be one where you can thrive, grow, and continue to build a fulfilling career and life.
Dr. Brian Schonewald is a rising chief resident in Internal Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Center City, Philadelphia and is planning to pursue a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine following the completion of his chief year. Professional interests include medical education, POCUS and global health. Formerly a DIII college athlete, he now mainly enjoys being a jogging stroller dad, reading/listening to audiobooks, cooking new recipes for his 10-month-old to throw on the floor, and playing low stakes sports like golf and slow pitch softball.