Identical Twins Match at Same Anesthesiology Residency Program

Danielle and Christine Kerr overcome long odds to continue their medical training together at Maine Medical Center.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Identical twins Danielle and Christine Kerr, who had gone through undergraduate and medical school together, were hoping to match at the same anesthesiology residency program. Despite the long odds, the sisters were thrilled to both receive offers from their top choice, Maine Medical Center, allowing them to continue their medical training side-by-side.

Why it matters

Match Day can be an incredibly stressful time for medical students, as they await news on where they will complete their residency training. The story of the Kerr twins highlights how the Match algorithm can sometimes align with students' preferences, even in unique situations like twins applying to the same specialty.

The details

Danielle and Christine Kerr, natives of Gainesville, Florida, had been interviewing and applying to anesthesiology residency programs for months. They ranked Maine Medical Center as their top choice, knowing there were only 5 residency slots in the program. On Match Day, the sisters opened their emails together and were overjoyed to see that they had both matched at their number one choice, allowing them to continue their medical education side-by-side.

  • The Kerr twins went through the Match process in 2020.
  • They matched at Maine Medical Center in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was causing nationwide shutdowns.

The players

Danielle Kerr

An identical twin who matched with her sister at the anesthesiology residency program at Maine Medical Center.

Christine Kerr

An identical twin who matched with her sister at the anesthesiology residency program at Maine Medical Center.

James Flowerdew, MD

The residency program director at Maine Medical Center when the Kerr twins matched there.

Diane M. Howell, MD

The interim assistant dean of students at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Reena Thomas, MD, PhD

A neuro-oncologist and senior associate dean of medical education at Stanford Medicine.

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What they’re saying

“It was a very stressful time. I'd go to bed with my heart pounding.”

— Danielle Kerr (Medscape)

“It was kind of a somber week.”

— Danielle Kerr (Medscape)

“You had to scroll all the way to the bottom of the email.”

— Christine Kerr (Medscape)

“It was a little bit of a nail biter.”

— Christine Kerr (Medscape)

“We knew the chances were slim, so it was just the best day ever.”

— Christine Kerr (Medscape)

What’s next

The Kerr twins are now both working as anesthesiologists at Maine Medical Center, where they completed their residency training.

The takeaway

The story of the Kerr twins shows how the Match process can sometimes align with students' preferences, even in unique situations like twins applying to the same specialty. It also highlights the importance of students doing their research, going with their hearts, and trusting the process, as the matches usually turn out well when everyone has prepared thoroughly.