The success of IMGs in pursuing graduate medical education (GME) in the United States remains strong with significant increases in the number of physicians obtaining first-year training positions, according to the results of the 2023 Main Residency Match® (The Match®) announced Friday by the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®).
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A total of 8,388 IMGs obtained first-year residency positions in accredited U.S. GME programs in the 2023 Match, an increase of 718 (9.4%) from last year. Of the IMGs matched, 3,356 are U.S. citizens, up 257 compared to last year. The number of positions obtained by non-U.S. citizen IMGs is 5,032, up 461 compared to last year. The match rates for U.S. citizen and non-U.S. citizen IMGs are 67.6% and 59.4%, respectively, both increasing compared to last year. An infographic on IMG performance in the 2023 Match can be found here .
According to William W. Pinsky, MD, CEO of IntealthTM and President of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®), the strong performance of IMGs announced Friday underscores both the quality of IMGs who pursue U.S. GME and the essential role they play as members of health care teams across the nation. He also noted that the record number of primary-care positions offered in this year’s Match is a positive development, since IMGs frequently pursue primary-care specialties.
“Today’s results demonstrate that IMGs continue to be very competitive in obtaining U.S. training,” Dr. Pinsky said. “Intealth and its members succeeded in ensuring a diverse and highly qualified pool of IMG applicants for U.S. training programs. Our services will continue to support the U.S. GME community and their new IMG trainees as they progress in training and make critical contributions to patient care.”
Intealth is an integrated organization that advances the global health workforce. In the United States, ECFMG, a member of Intealth, assesses the readiness of IMGs to enter U.S. GME. The program for certifying IMGs is a rigorous process that includes passing components of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®), the same examinations required of U.S. medical school students and graduates, and demonstration of clinical and communication skills. As part of the certification process, ECFMG also verifies the authenticity of IMGs’ medical education credentials, including their medical diplomas, directly with the issuing medical schools. Only IMGs who are certified by ECFMG can enter accredited U.S. GME programs.
About Intealth
Intealth brings together the expertise and resources that advance quality in health care education worldwide in order to improve health care for all. Through strategic integration of its nonprofit members, Intealth offers a flexible and multi‐layered portfolio of services. These services enhance and support the education and training of health care professionals, verify their qualifications required to practice, and inform the development of health workforce policies around the world. By leveraging these combined competencies of its members, Intealth powers innovation in areas critical to the health professions. Intealth is an integrated organization that includes ECFMG and FAIMER.
