Issue Seven - April 24, 2003
2003 Match Results Mark Increase in IMG Participation and Residency Placements
The number of first year (PGY-1) residency positions offered through the Match reached a record high in 2003. A total of 20,908 first year positions were offered. This represented an increase of 306 positions compared to 2002.
The number of IMGs who participated in the Match and the number of IMGs who matched to first year positions both increased. For the 2003 Match, 7,016 IMG applicants participated, compared to 6,585 in 2002. Of the 7,016 IMG participants, 3,884 (55.4%) were matched to first year positions. In the 2002 Match, 3,427 (52.0%) IMG participants were matched to first year positions.
The match rates increased for both U.S.-citizen IMGs and for IMG participants who were citizens of other countries. There were 1,987 U.S.-citizen IMG participants; of these, 1,085 (54.6%) were matched to first year positions. Of the 5,029 IMG participants who were not U.S. citizens, 2,799 (55.7%) obtained positions. The number of non-U.S. citizen IMGs who obtained positions in 2003 increased by 464 compared to the prior year.
The number of IMG participants who were not U.S. citizens, at 5,029, represented an increase of 10% over the previous year. This increase reverses a five-year decline in the number of non-U.S. citizen IMGs participating in the Match.
About the Match
The annual NRMP Match is the system by which applicants are matched with available residency positions in U.S. programs of graduate medical education (GME). Participants submit to the NRMP a list of residency programs, in order of preference. Ranked lists of preferred residency candidates are likewise submitted by U.S. GME programs with available positions. The matching of applicants to available positions is performed by computer algorithm. The Match results announced in March of each year are typically for GME programs beginning the following July.
Additional Resources on the Match and Match Results
The preceding data are taken from the Advanced Data Tables for 2003 Residency Match compiled by the NRMP. These tables provide detailed information on the positions offered and filled by the 2003 Match and prior Match years. To access these tables, or to obtain further information on the NRMP, visit the NRMP website.
The June issue of Academic Medicine, the journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, usually offers an analysis of Match results from the preceding March. For more information, visit the Academic Medicine website.
The September issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association traditionally provides an in-depth analysis of graduate medical education in the United States. This analysis includes the number of IMGs entering and continuing in U.S. GME programs and a breakdown of IMG resident physicians by specialty and subspecialty. For more information, visit the JAMA website.
FAIMER® Launches New E-Newsletter
As part of its ongoing commitment to promote excellence in international medical education, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) established the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) in September 2000. As a non-profit foundation of ECFMG, FAIMER provides an infrastructure and resources, human and financial, to support programs, projects, and research that enrich international medical education by linking medical education and the healthcare needs of populations. The Foundation's activities focus on a common theme: the promotion of excellence in international medical education.
FAIMER is pleased to announce that its first e-newsletter, FAIMER MedEd, was launched on April 18, 2003. A web version of the free newsletter and subscription information is available on the FAIMER website. Subscribe today!
Annual Reports Available Via the Web
The ECFMG and FAIMER Annual Reports for 2002 are now available via the Web.
The ECFMG Annual Report provides information on ECFMG's program of certification and a profile of applicants for ECFMG Certification, including their country of citizenship, country of medical school, and performance on Step 1 and Step 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination™ (USMLE™) and the ECFMG Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA®). The Annual Report also describes ECFMG's history, research, and initiatives. Visit the ECFMG website to access the ECFMG Annual Report on-line.
FAIMER's first Annual Report describes the Foundation's establishment and its current activities, including the development of informational resources for the international medical community and its programs for international medical educators and medical schools. The Annual Report also outlines directions for FAIMER's research program. Visit the FAIMER website to access the FAIMER Annual Report on-line.