Though more than 42,000 medical graduates rode the residency rollercoaster this last week, relatively few have heard the crazy story behind the very first Match Day, in 1952. Involving ‘exploding’ residency offers, two Nobel Prize-winning game theory economists, and a med student movement led by a New Orleans-born ex-carrier fighter pilot, it’s a tale worth knowing.

Everyone has Match Day anxiety of some kind. No matter how smart we are, how good our applications, how flawlessly we interviewed, we all feel at least a little apprehension, wondering, “What if I don’t match?” This is a rational fear—but there are also plenty of positive Match statistics, as well as scientifically proven advice on how to make the best of your chances. Yes, competition for available PGY-1 slots …