Convocation Profile: Madeleine Taddei

On Monday, May 11, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix will hold its 16th Convocation. Led by a pipe and drum corps, the Class of 2026 will process through downtown Phoenix, finishing at the Phoenix Convention Center for their official ceremony. The day marks the beginning of the next phase in their journey as physicians. The college profiled a series of graduating students to commemorate the milestone.

Meet Madeleine Taddei

Madeleine Taddei became interested in becoming a medical examiner during high school. She attributes her interest in pathology to various media portrayals that she was exposed to while growing up. Between high school and her undergraduate years, Taddei spent a year living in Switzerland to connect with her family roots and expand her understanding of life and culture outside the United States.

Upon returning, she began pursuing her bachelor's degree in biology at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. There, she started her journey to medical school, while also trying to keep an open mind, learn as much as possible and take on as many experiences as she could.

Taddei feels fortunate to have had many people supporting her throughout her pre-med and medical school journey. Her parents, Max and Santina, her childhood best friends, Molly and Kat, and her college best friends, Ella, Hana and Ariana, have been there for her through the whole process to now.

She is also extremely grateful to the friends and mentors she has gained in medical school. Particularly, she would like to thank Amber Wang, MD (a Class of 2013 alumna), at the Maricopa Medical Examiner's Office, and Kristian Schafernak, MD, at Phoenix Children's, for their invaluable help and guidance along the way to matching pathology!

Path Toward Medicine

What was the spark that led you to become a physician?

I was extremely fortunate to have been at Northeastern University with a tremendous amount of research, service and medical extracurricular opportunities. Throughout my four years I was able to volunteer in a research lab, at a local hospital and in my neighboring community through the Northeastern Circle K service chapter. I also became an EMT and worked in emergency services for the Northeastern sports events; worked as an intensive care unit patient care tech; and, most importantly, formed strong lifelong friendships! After graduation, I spent a gap year working in a pathology research tech position at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I was working at the lab bench when I received my admission call for medical school from Glen Fogerty, PhD, MBA!

Match Day

On Match Day, what was it like discovering where you were headed for residency?

Opening my match result was one of the happiest moments of my life! I was beyond excited to have matched my first-choice program and so grateful for this being the outcome of all the hard work throughout the journey to residency.

What’s Next?

What excites you most about your upcoming residency? Where are you headed?

I am excited for all the learning opportunities and the chance to really dive into pathology full-time and looking forward to this new chapter of life in a new city. I will be a PGY1 at New York University Langone + Bellevue in New York City!

What inspired you to pursue this specialty?

My interest in pathology began in high school and took a bit of a meandering path from then to the first year of medical school. I became fully path-bound the summer just after MS1 when I had the chance to spend two weeks in the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office with all the amazing forensic pathologists there. I find the combination of detailed diagnostic workup and public health applications in forensics really fulfilling and having a specialty with a lot of hands-on and visual work paired with consideration of the history and context is very appealing.

The College of Medicine – Phoenix Culture

Looking back, what’s your favorite medical school memory?

It is hard to choose what to pick to answer this question! I have many fond memories of the long study sessions we used to have before every exam in MS1. Trying to come up with catchy mnemonics, covering the whiteboards with outlines and diagrams, and just generally having a great time reviewing in a group in the library until close are definitely some of the classic med school memories I look back on.