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It was Match Day at ������’s College of Podiatric Medicine, and four-year student Allison Herron was excited to see if she would get her wish to do her residency in Ohio.

Herron signed on to her laptop and was elated to find out that she got her wish – she was matched with Aultman Hospital, based in Canton, Ohio.

This is exactly where Herron wanted to be.

“When I was looking for professional schools, I wanted to stay in Ohio,” said Herron, who is a native of Salem, Ohio. “My family is really important to me. I worked at Aultman while I was an undergrad at Hiram College. I’m going home.”

Herron and some of her classmates participated in a Match Day event on March 20, 2026, at Kent State’s College of Podiatric Medicine in Independence, Ohio. This year, as well as last year, 100% of eligible podiatric medicine students were matched with their preferred residency programs, a milestone the college has achieved in back-to-back years.

“This is extremely exciting,” said Allan M. Boike, D.P.M., FACFAS, dean of Kent State’s College of Podiatric Medicine. “It is the culmination of what their next step will be. This is a major step toward becoming doctors. We have 100% matches. It’s good that everyone will be very happy.”

Kent State’s College of Podiatric Medicine is Nationally Distinctive

As one of only 11 podiatric medicine colleges in the country, Kent State is playing a critical role in addressing the nation’s need for qualified foot and ankle specialists at a time when diabetes, obesity and an aging population are driving demand for podiatric care to record levels.

The class of 2026 comprises 71 students who completed clerkships at 122 hospitals in 32 states and the District of Columbia. The class of 2026 matched in 47 different hospitals in 19 states and the District of Columbia. The five states that have the most placements for the class of 2026 are:

• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Michigan
• Florida
• California
• Virginia
• Wisconsin

Milwaukee was the Perfect Match and so was UCLA

Herron’s classmate Austen Miller of Newark, Ohio, was happy to learn that he is going to Ascension Health Network in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

For Miller, Match Day was the culmination of a dream that began in his childhood. When he was seven years old, he visited a podiatrist for what was diagnosed as Sever's disease, an inflammation of the heel growth plate that usually resolves itself as the plate closes.

Haley Carrasco from the Poconos in Pennsylvania, got her wish to match with a West Coast facility. She was chosen by UCLA. She and her family dressed the part in matching white sweaters.

Kent State’s College of Podiatric Medicine was the perfect place for Carrasco to prepare for her future.

“I chose Kent State because it’s a unique campus,” she said. “We got access and privilege to the entire campus. Throughout my time here, any time I needed help I was able to walk on campus and see someone in my field.”

Learn more about Kent State’s College of Podiatric Medicine.