The 2023 Match is behind us, which means the NRMP has released its annual Match data. How did IMGs and DOs fare? Well, quite well.

From record-setting growth for IMGs, DOs, and even certain specialties, below we dive into the early results of the 2023 Match.

 

A New Era for DOs

For osteopathic medical students, this year’s match set new records for both number of applicants (7,436) and percent matched (91.6%) in the single-match era. As DO students are more likely to practice in primary care specialties like family medicine, this is not only a good sign for overcoming the physician shortage. It also indicates an action in response to calls to remove obstacles to primary care.

As the FAIR Act moves closer to law (it was recently passed in the U.S. House of Representatives), the pathway should become even smoother for DO students on their way to residency. Should the FAIR Act pass into law, expect continued growth of not just DO applicants but growth in the percentage of DO students who match.

 

Primary-Forward

Speaking of primary care, specialties in primary care saw an overall record number of positions offered in this year’s match. Across all primary care specialties, 571 new positions were offered. Only pediatrics-primary saw a decline from 2022.

Out of all primary care specialties, internal medicine (categorical) offered 345 new positions, the biggest increase among all primary care specialties. While this growth in positions offered highlights an increasing demand, primary care positions were filled at a similar rate to 2022 (94%). Despite this growth, both family medicine and internal medicine (categorical) saw a decrease in the percentage of positions filled.

The Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) may still help fill some of these positions. Nonetheless, while numbers are steady this year, offering more positions sets the infrastructure for growth in the future.

 

IMGs in the 2023 Match

IMGs have long been understood as a solution to healthcare shortages in other countries. According to the NRMP, IMGs were the main cause of growth in the number of applicants in the 2023 Match. Despite only 481 more overall applicants, 680 more IMGs applied to the 2023 Match than 2022.

In the 2023 Match, IMGs found the most success in internal medicine, emergency medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics.

Read more about the NRMP’s 2023 Match data here.

 

 

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