ECFMG report: IMGs in the 2012 Match

[IMvrach]

Found ECFMG report with the match results for both US-IMGs and international IMGs. More than half of US-IMGs applicants don't match. It does not say what fraction of fresh graduates do not match: there could be many repeated applicants, not matching year after year and inflating the total number of applicants. Still, I think, the report might be useful to those, contemplating studies abroad, as it provides firm numbers to ponder on.

http://www.ecfmg.org/echo/imgs-2012-match.pdf

"In 2012, The Match experienced record high numbers for both first-year positions offered and total active applicants – 24,034 and 31,355 respectively.
Of the 4,279 U.S. citizen IMGswho participated in this Match, 2,102 (49.1%) were matched to first-year positions; this was the ninth consecutive year
that the number of U.S. IMGs matching to first-year positions increased. Of the 6,828 non-U.S. citizen IMG participants, 2,775 (40.6%) obtained first-year
positions; this marked an increase over 2011, after declines in the two previous years"

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[Law2Doc]

Found ECFMG report with the match results for both US-IMGs and international IMGs. More than half of US-IMGs applicants don't match. It does not say what fraction of fresh graduates do not match: there could be many repeated applicants, not matching year after year and inflating the total number of applicants. Still, I think, the report might be useful to those, contemplating studies abroad, as it provides firm numbers to ponder on.

http://www.ecfmg.org/echo/imgs-2012-match.pdf

"In 2012, The Match experienced record high numbers for both first-year positions offered and total active applicants – 24,034 and 31,355 respectively.
Of the 4,279 U.S. citizen IMGswho participated in this Match, 2,102 (49.1%) were matched to first-year positions; this was the ninth consecutive year
that the number of U.S. IMGs matching to first-year positions increased. Of the 6,828 non-U.S. citizen IMG participants, 2,775 (40.6%) obtained first-year
positions; this marked an increase over 2011, after declines in the two previous years"

However the increases this year have to be taken with a grain of salt because pre matches were practically eliminated with implementation of the "all in" policy.

 

[molten]

There's all the talk of how things are getting from bad to worse for IMGs but the numbers don't corroborate that. The 2013 match stats are out and tell a different story, at least at a glance, so I am feeling worse about myself than before.

"The number of IMGs who matched to first-year positions increased by 1,425 compared to 2012. Of the 12,683 IMGs who participated in the 2013 Match, 6,311 (49.8%) matched."

Salt on my wounds. 50/50 nearly, and I was the 50 that didn't make it.

 

[sazerac]

There's all the talk of how things are getting from bad to worse for IMGs but the numbers don't corroborate that. The 2013 match stats are out and tell a different story, at least at a glance, so I am feeling worse about myself than before.

"The number of IMGs who matched to first-year positions increased by 1,425 compared to 2012. Of the 12,683 IMGs who participated in the 2013 Match, 6,311 (49.8%) matched."

Salt on my wounds. 50/50 nearly, and I was the 50 that didn't make it.

Yet the number of IMGs who pre-matched this year suffered a devastating 100% drop as compared to last year. We're talking hundreds if not thousands of IMGs who did not pre-match at all in 2013. Coincidence? Hmm...

 

[Ronin786]

As was stated above there really wasnt that much of a change. I'm seeing IMGs rejoicing over these numbers when the truth is much different.

While 4,626 IMGs obtained PGY-1 positions through the 2011 Match, 6,754 IMGs entered PGY-1 for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Thats from an ECFMG newsletter. So around 2,000 or so IMGs received positions outside the match in 2011, and most likely the majority of those were due to pre-matches.

On the other hand:

The number of IMGs who matched to first-year positions increased by 1,425 compared to 2012.

So you have around 1,425 more matching this year, while in years past you had 2k offered outside the match. To me that means the numbers are slightly down or pretty much the same.

 

[IMvrach]

In my book 600 less out of 6000 is not "slightly less or pretty much the same"...

As was stated above there really wasnt that much of a change. I'm seeing IMGs rejoicing over these numbers when the truth is much different.

Thats from an ECFMG newsletter. So around 2,000 or so IMGs received positions outside the match in 2011, and most likely the majority of those were due to pre-matches.

On the other hand:


So you have around 1,425 more matching this year, while in years past you had 2k offered outside the match. To me that means the numbers are slightly down or pretty much the same.

 

[Ronin786]

In my book 600 less out of 6000 is not "slightly less or pretty much the same"...

The 2k number includes IMGs that didn't enter the match and instead began PGY-1 years outside the match and pre-match. Those offers are still available and could add to the total number.

 

[IMvrach]

Ah, Ok. But AFAIK there are very few positions that remain after SOAP, something less than 100.

The 2k number includes IMGs that didn't enter the match and instead began PGY-1 years outside the match and pre-match. Those offers are still available and could add to the total number.

 

[Ronin786]

Well the overall point is, this "boom" in IMG spots really isn't a big deal. I find it funny that many IMGs are celebrating as if this makes life any easier. You're still going to work extremely hard to find a spot, and some folks are in for a rude awakening.

 

[IMvrach]

I did not notice many IMGs "celebrating" the imaginary "boom"... Half of the folks are for a rude awakening.

Well the overall point is, this "boom" in IMG spots really isn't a big deal. I find it funny that many IMGs are celebrating as if this makes life any easier. You're still going to work extremely hard to find a spot, and some folks are in for a rude awakening.

 

[septoplasty]

I did not notice many IMGs "celebrating" the imaginary "boom"... Half of the folks are for a rude awakening.

I think what he meant was IMG's blindly looking at the 49% match rate for non-US IMG's maybe seen as some sort of blessing from the skies above, whereas it isn't.

 

[NJDevilsFan]

The extra IMGs are ones that would have prematched in previous years. The most talented IMGs in most matches are not accounted for since they are scooped up prior to the match. This year, they were a part of the applicant pool with everyone else and matched into a spot. This doesn't mean that more IMGs are matching it just means that the best ones are now being counted among those that match along with everyone else.

There were still hospitals that prematched all of their positions (all out) but these programs were few in number.

 

[Law2Doc]

Exactly. It was a small uptick in match results which was more than offset by the loss of prematch spots. A net loss by most accounts.

And that's even before factoring in the few percent who land a spot via SOAP, which gives US grads a much much bigger advantage over the prior year's scrambles, because it no longer is a free for all where an IMG can snag a choice spot over a solid US grad simply by being first in line on the phone/ fax machine.

I'm not sure how you can interpret this as anything other than the door starting to swing slowly closed.

 

[Paddington]

There's programs out there still particularly in IM/FM that are overwhelmingly FMG. With the record number of unmatched US seniors, did they even bother looking at these programs? They may not be the best programs or in the best places, but it sure beats being unemployed with $300K in debt.

 

[FON86]

In addition us AMGs were usually rejected from places that were all out. So technically those residency programs are only for IMGs.

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