Issue Twenty-Two - April 2, 2003
2003 Match Results Mark Increase in IMG Participation and Residency Placements
In the March 18 issue of The ECFMG Reporter, we invited you to submit questions regarding ECFMG Certification and related topics. We would like to thank you for your inquiries and feedback, and will do our best to address your questions in this and subsequent issues.
Several inquiries were submitted regarding the performance of international medical graduates (IMGs) in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), or "the Match." The results of the 2003 Match were announced on March 20, 2003. Following is a summary of IMG performance, as well as additional resources where you can find more in-depth information on Match results in this and prior years.
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 www.nrmp.org.
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 your medical school's library or www.academicmedicine.org.
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. Visit your medical school's library or http://jama.ama-assn.org.
Two New Informational Resources From ECFMG
As part of our ongoing mission to provide outstanding information on ECFMG Certification and related issues, ECFMG has developed two new resources: the ECFMG Certification Fact Sheet and the ECFMG J-1 Visa Sponsorship Fact Sheet. Presented in a compact, accessible format, the Fact Sheets are designed to provide an introduction to these programs. They provide basic information on eligibility, requirements and procedures, as well as additional web-based resources for those who want more information.
Both the ECFMG Certification Fact Sheet and the ECFMG J-1 Visa Sponsorship Fact Sheet are available on this website.