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                              Secretary Becerra Delivers Remarks at Howard University, HHS Principals Visit 11 Medical Schools to Celebrate Match Day
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**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 16, 2024**

        **Contact: 
                                    HHS Press Office**
          202-690-6343media@hhs.gov

          Secretary Becerra Delivers Remarks at Howard University, HHS Principals Visit 11 Medical Schools to Celebrate Match Day
    
    

      *HHS Principals visited 11 medical schools marking Match Day in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee, Connecticut, California, the Cherokee Nation, Georgia, Wisconsin, and New Mexico*

Secretary Xavier Becerra delivered remarks and celebrated students at Howard University’s College of Medicine marking the 71st anniversary of Match Day – the annual nationwide event where medical students learn which residency program they will be attending. Joining him, principals from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) fanned out across the country to 11 medical schools to mark the day, including in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee, Connecticut, California, the Cherokee Nation, Georgia, Wisconsin, and New Mexico:

Secretary Becerra, whose spouse is a physician specializing in high-risk pregnancies, spoke about the important role health workers play in public health and encouraged the students to consider public service as part of their career path. “You are special at a time when your country needs you. You are more than just a physician – you are the face of leadership for this country for years to come,” **HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in his remarks to the students at Howard University College of Medicine at its Match Day ceremony in Washington, D.C.**“It’s a heavy burden – but you’re up to the task. I am very much looking forward to meeting you in the future as a physician for our country. But more than that, you are the face of leadership for this country to come.”



Secretary Becerra alongside Howard University College of Medicine faculty ahead of his speech celebrating Match Day, March 15, 2024.

      *Secretary Becerra alongside Howard University College of Medicine faculty ahead of his speech celebrating Match Day, March 15, 2024.*“I was honored to join the medical students at Temple University on Match Day and celebrate their hard work and commitment. You only need to spend a few minutes with these extraordinary young people to know that the future of health and health care in this country are in good hands,” **said HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm, who joined Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University’s Match Day ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.**“The more that we expand our health workforce and support our health workers, the healthier we will be as a nation. HHS is committed to recruiting, supporting, and promoting new opportunities for health workers to learn and expand their capabilities.”

“I am excited to be here at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine celebrating match day with our future health leaders,” **said Center for Disease Control Director Dr. Mandy Cohen, who joined the University of North Carolina School of Medicine’s Match Day ceremony in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.**“A strong health workforce is critical to our mission to protecting health and improving lives. I am thrilled to welcome our newest teammates onto team health.”

“On behalf of the Health Resources and Services Administration, congratulations to the new physicians who are learning about their residency placements, and a special congratulations to the medical students HRSA has supported through scholarships, loans, training programs, and high school and college health professions prep programs,”**said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson, who joined Meharry Medical College’s Match Day ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee.** “And a warm welcome to the new residents who will do their clinical training in HRSA-supported residencies in historically underserved and rural communities. HRSA will continue to lead the effort to build the next generation of the health care workforce with a focus on meeting critical community needs like primary care, maternal health and behavioral health care.”

“I want to congratulate the entire Class of 2024 on Match Day and thank them all for pursuing careers in health care,” **said Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and leader of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., who delivered remarks at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine’s Match Day ceremony in Farmington, Connecticut.** “And for those seeking careers in behavioral health, please consider applying to our Minority Fellowship Program, which seeks to train and better prepare behavioral health practitioners to more effectively treat and serve people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.”

“The students at University of California, Riverside have shown grit and determination in reaching this exciting milestone in their career. As the future of our health workforce, these students will help to ensure that qualify, affordable health care is available to every American,” **said HHS Office for Civil Rights Director Melanie Fontes Rainer who joined the UC Riverside School of Medicine’s Match Day ceremony in Riverside, California.**“HHS funds programs to recruit, train, and support health workers – to make sure we have a robust, diverse health workforce well into the future. By sharing this moment with those medical students, I hope they know that we have their back as they continue on in their careers.”

“To say it was inspiring to be with the students from at OSU on Match Day – the first in the school’s history – is an understatement. These incredible students are pursuing a career in medicine that will help improve lives - and many will return to their communities throughout Indian Country and provide support that might not otherwise be available,” **said****HHS Deputy Chief of Staff Angela Ramirez, who joined Oklahoma State University's (OSU) College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Match Day Ceremony in the Cherokee Nation. OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine is the first medical school opened on tribal lands within the U.S**. “We will be a healthier nation as a result of their commitment and success. HHS provides critical mentoring, training, financial and mental health support to health workers. Our work to fund health scholarships and loan repayment, support development programs and provide mental health and other support, ensures we are building and maintaining a robust health workforce.”

“As Region IV Regional Director, I am honored to represent the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at Morehouse School of Medicine’s Match Day, to reaffirm the Biden Administration’s commitment to developing the next generation of health care workers,” **said HHS Region IV Director Antrell Tyson, who joined HBCU Morehouse School of Medicine’s Match Day ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia.** “We are deeply committed to supporting and empowering the health care workforce of tomorrow, and we understand the vital role they will play in ensuring the health and well-being of generations of Americans.”

“The Biden-Harris Administration is growing the health care workforce and making public health careers available to the next generation of Wisconsinites,” **said HHS Region V Director Michael Cabonargi who joined Medical College of Wisconsin’s Match Day ceremony in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.** “I’m thrilled to have gotten the chance to celebrate these incredible new residents on the next chapter in their medical journeys.”

“I was happy to participate in Match Day at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, a Hispanic serving institution,”**said Julia Lothrop, HHS Acting Region VI Director who joined the University of New Mexico School of Medicine’s Match Day ceremony in Albuquerque, New Mexico.** “The future of our health workforce has never been more important. It was exciting to meet our future doctors, many who are already serving rural, tribal, and underserved populations in New Mexico.”

“At HHS, we believe that health care is a human right and are working hard to ensure health access for all,” **said HHS Region IX Director Dr. Jeffrey Reynoso who joined University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine’s Match Day ceremony in Fresno, California.** “The UCSF San Joaquin Valley PRIME program provides an opportunity to bring knowledge and talent back home to underserved communities and extend that right to those often left behind.”
  

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    Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other news materials are available at https://www.hhs.gov/news.Like HHS on Facebook, follow HHS on Twitter @HHSgov, and sign up for HHS Email Updates.Last revised: March 17, 2024

  
  
  







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  Content created by Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA) Content last reviewed March 17, 2024 Back to top
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