Match Day Profile: Jeff Wellard

Every third Friday in March, fourth-year medical students across the United States learn where the next chapter in their careers will be written. Match Day is the day when the National Resident Matching Program releases results to applicants in sealed envelopes, revealing where they will spend the next several years in residency, training in their chosen specialty. After years of preparation and study, it is a long-awaited and well-deserved day to celebrate. The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix is profiling several students for Match Day 2023.

Meet Jeff Wellard

Jeff Wellard was born in Texas but moved to Phoenix soon after. Basically, he is as close to a native Arizonan as one can get. Growing up in the East Valley, he has watched the area change from a collection of farming communities into the urban metropolis it is today.

For his undergraduate degree, Wellard chose to stay in the state, attending Arizona State University. While there, he initially considered studying neuroscience, but he discovered that he had no aptitude for laboratory research — prompting him to switch over to medicine. His work as a scribe in an emergency department cemented that decision.

As he approaches his graduation from medical school, Wellard is thankful for the support of his mom and dad, whose guidance proved invaluable in his four years of medical school. He also praised the college’s Office of Admissions and Student Services, the staff of the Center for Simulation and Innovation and the Doctoring faculty who were always there to help cheer him on throughout his journey.

Path Toward Medicine

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

I had a windy path to becoming a physician — including exploring careers as a lab scientist, engineer, accountant and lawyer before I decided to choose medicine. I found working in the emergency department that I loved stories. Medicine is a career focused on stories, so I decided to pursue it!

Choosing a Specialty

Do you have a specialty? What is it and why did it interest you, or what led you to it?

The specialty I am applying to is internal medicine – pediatrics, a.k.a. Med-Peds. I initially thought I was going to be a neurologist or neurosurgeon, but I found I wanted to care for the entire patient — including heart, lungs, liver and even the kidneys — so I switched to internal medicine. I had an amazing opportunity to go up to the Navajo Reservation and work at Fort Defiance in pediatrics, which then bumped me to choose Med-Peds.

What’s Next

Post-Match Day, what are your goals moving forward?

Post-match day, the immediate goal will be to complete my medical degree! No slacking! I hope to continue learning skills that help me for residency, and, maybe, I can even get a chance to travel before starting.

The College of Medicine – Phoenix Culture

What will you miss most about the College of Medicine – Phoenix? Any advice for incoming medical students?

It always comes down to the people. Everyone at the College of Medicine – Phoenix has treated me with kindness, respect and a desire to make me a better physician and person. It is hard to find supportive places such as this.

For new students, I would advise getting involved with anything and everything. You do not know what you are interested in until you get a chance to try it, and, unfortunately, your schedule is so packed you will not get chances to try unless you search for them!