The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) has recently released its annual Match data for the 2023 Match, which includes some exciting news for international medical graduates (IMGs) and osteopathic medical students (DOs).
A New Era for DOs
This year’s Match saw a record-setting number of applicants and percent matched for DOs. With 7,436 applicants and a 91.6% match rate, this is an encouraging sign for overcoming the physician shortage and removing obstacles to primary care. As DO students are more likely to practice in primary care specialties such as family medicine, this could be an indication of a positive shift in the healthcare industry.
The Future of FAIR Act
As the Future Advancement of Academic Ranks and Titles (FAIR) Act approaches closer to law, the pathway to residency should become even smoother for DO students. This could lead to continued growth of not just DO applicants but also an increase in the percentage of DO students who match.
Primary-Forward
Primary care specialties have also seen a surge in the number of positions offered in this year’s Match. With 571 new positions offered across all primary care specialties, except pediatrics-primary, this shows an increasing demand for primary care. Internal medicine (categorical) offered the biggest increase among all primary care specialties, with 345 new positions. Even though there were more positions, there were fewer filled positions in family medicine and internal medicine.
The Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) was able to fill some of the leftover match positions.
IMGs in the 2023 Match
IMGs have been long considered a solution to healthcare shortages in other countries. According to the NRMP, IMGs were the primary cause of growth in the number of applicants in the 2023 Match. Although there were only 481 more overall applicants, 680 more IMGs applied to the 2023 Match than 2022. According to the NRMP’s 2023 Match data, international medical graduates (IMGs) had a successful year, particularly in certain specialties. IMGs had the most success in matching with residency programs in internal medicine, emergency medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics. These specialties have long been popular choices among IMGs due to their high demand and opportunity for growth in the United States healthcare industry. With an increasing need for primary care physicians, family medicine and pediatrics are particularly important fields that IMGs can contribute to in providing care to underserved communities. In addition, the success of IMGs in emergency medicine and internal medicine can help to address the shortage of specialists in these areas. Overall, the results of the 2023 Match indicate that IMGs continue to play a significant role in meeting the demand for healthcare professionals in the United States.
Final Thoughts
The NRMP’s 2023 Match data provides hope for the future of the healthcare industry. With record-setting growth for IMGs, DOs, and certain specialties, we can expect a continued increase in the number of positions offered and filled in primary care. As the FAIR Act moves closer to law, we can also expect more DO students to successfully match into residency programs. These early results are a promising sign for the future of healthcare in the United States.
Wanna know more about NRMP’s 2023 Match data? Check it out here
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