I recently read an article about osteopathic postgraduate training and would like to mention two trends that I think are relevant. The first is that a majority of osteopathic graduates do not participate in the AOA match, opting for ACGME (allopathic) residencies for various reasons. The second trend, perhaps in part resulting from the first, is that nearly 43% of AOA residency positions in primary care fields (925 of 2,165 available) went unfilled in 2005.
Based on this information, we can assume that there should be enough AOA residencies, if one just goes by the numbers. Nevertheless, the author makes mention that the lowest match rates for osteopathic residencies are at the newest osteopathic schools and those which rely on primarily allopathic sites for training, where osteopathic residency positions are not yet established. He sites AZCOM, DMU-COM, and TU-COM (CA and NV). Therefore, although a surplus of AOA residency positions exist (admittedly in primary care fields), students attending schools fitting the above template, might not reach them.
Are there any MSIV's out there that can elaborate on recent AOA match experiences?
(article info: The Predicament of Osteopathic Postdoctoral Education, Academic Medicine, Volume 81(12), December 2006, pp 1123-1127).
More and more medical students are choosing primary care because specialty residencies are too frickin' long and the jobs are too demanding. They are having to fill previously competitive residencies such as general surgery with FMG's now.
