I thought I would share this year's Med/Peds Match Synopsis...it looks like it was another great (competitive) year for the specialty!
2011 Med-Peds Match Synopsis
Med-Peds rocks! and Sustain the gains. These two phrases summarize the Match information for med-peds for 2011. As all of us are aware, it has been a busy season for program directors, but now is the time to reap the rewards.
We had an overall fantastic match for our specialty, with 77 med-peds programs entering the Match. There were 365 positions offered this year, an increase of 6 (1.9%) positions over 2010. From previous ERAS data, the total number of US applications sent to med-peds programs was 500. The rest of the information comes from NRMP.
The total number of applicants who submitted a rank to at least one med-peds program was 608 (down 8% from 661 last year), of which 402 (66%) were US seniors (recall that someone can apply but never interview, or apply and interview, but choose not to rank). This percentage of US seniors to total applicants ranking Med-Peds in the NRMP is up over past years (50% in 2009, 59% in 2010, and 66% this year).
The fill rate information is even more exciting. Of 365, 362 (99.2%) positions were successfully filled in the Match. There were two programs (3 positions) which did not fill, but both completed their scramble efforts successfully early in the afternoon on Scramble Day. US seniors are responsible for 309 of the 362 Med-Peds matches, for a US senior fill rate of 84.7%. This is higher than in past years (68.1% in 2009 and 83.3% in 2010).
The information for our categorical colleagues is as follows:
Internal Medicine (Categorical)
The total # of programs was 386 (up from 377 last year), with 5,121 positions offered. The total # of applicants was 9403, which decreased 1.6% from 9552 in 2010. The internal medicine US senior fill rate did go up from 54.5% last year to 57.4% this year. The categorical internal medicine overall fill rate of 98.9% is similar to med-peds.
Pediatrics
The total number of programs was 188 (down from 209 in 2010) with 2,482 positions offered. The total # of applicants was 3634, which is just a bit lower than last years 3668. US seniors will occupy 71.2% of these categorical pediatrics positions, up from 70.5% in 2010. The categorical pediatrics overall fill rate is also similar to med-peds at 98.2%.
Family Medicine
The total number of programs was 453 (similar to 454 last year), offering 2,708 positions (up 100). The family medicine success in filling this year was 94.4%, up from 91.4% last year. US seniors account for 48% of the total family medicine match positions.
Overall, there were 16,893 US allopathic seniors who participated in the match this year, an increase from 16,427 last year.
Take-home points about the Match specific to med-peds are as follows:
1. There was one less med-peds program entering the Match (total number was 77), but six more positions offered in 2011 than in 2010.
2. Med-peds had a slight increase in US senior applicants and a decrease in overall applicants who ranked a med-peds program
3. Med-peds filled 362 of 365 positions in 75 of 77 programs in the Match (99.2% success rate).
4. US seniors made up 84.7% of med-peds filled positions this year (a significant increase over two to three years ago), compared with 57.4% for categorical internal medicine, 71.2% for categorical pediatrics and 48% for family medicine.
There still is information that is unknown, including the # of applicants taken outside of the Match, as well as the number of US seniors who would have liked to match into med-peds but either matched into another specialty or did not match at all. Finally, if US seniors wanting to match into med-peds were unsuccessful, and subsequently scrambled into positions in other specialties, what those positions are is still unknown.
The data for the med-peds 2011 Match are very favorable, and collectively we should be very proud of our work. Sustainability from last years high fill rate is evident, and more US seniors are considering med-peds. As the accreditation process and revision of the med-peds requirements evolve, on top of new duty hour requirements coming to fruition in July 2011, we should all pause and reflect upon a job well done. Today, students are eagerly opening envelopes which will indicate where they will spend the next few years, followed by a rewarding career in med-peds, wherever that might be. We do make a huge difference, not only for students, but our residents and ultimately, our patients.
I look forward to seeing all of you at our yearly meeting in a few weeks. Thanks to all of you for what you do.
Alex Djuricich, MD
President, Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association
2011 Med-Peds Match Synopsis
Med-Peds rocks! and Sustain the gains. These two phrases summarize the Match information for med-peds for 2011. As all of us are aware, it has been a busy season for program directors, but now is the time to reap the rewards.
We had an overall fantastic match for our specialty, with 77 med-peds programs entering the Match. There were 365 positions offered this year, an increase of 6 (1.9%) positions over 2010. From previous ERAS data, the total number of US applications sent to med-peds programs was 500. The rest of the information comes from NRMP.
The total number of applicants who submitted a rank to at least one med-peds program was 608 (down 8% from 661 last year), of which 402 (66%) were US seniors (recall that someone can apply but never interview, or apply and interview, but choose not to rank). This percentage of US seniors to total applicants ranking Med-Peds in the NRMP is up over past years (50% in 2009, 59% in 2010, and 66% this year).
The fill rate information is even more exciting. Of 365, 362 (99.2%) positions were successfully filled in the Match. There were two programs (3 positions) which did not fill, but both completed their scramble efforts successfully early in the afternoon on Scramble Day. US seniors are responsible for 309 of the 362 Med-Peds matches, for a US senior fill rate of 84.7%. This is higher than in past years (68.1% in 2009 and 83.3% in 2010).
The information for our categorical colleagues is as follows:
Internal Medicine (Categorical)
The total # of programs was 386 (up from 377 last year), with 5,121 positions offered. The total # of applicants was 9403, which decreased 1.6% from 9552 in 2010. The internal medicine US senior fill rate did go up from 54.5% last year to 57.4% this year. The categorical internal medicine overall fill rate of 98.9% is similar to med-peds.
Pediatrics
The total number of programs was 188 (down from 209 in 2010) with 2,482 positions offered. The total # of applicants was 3634, which is just a bit lower than last years 3668. US seniors will occupy 71.2% of these categorical pediatrics positions, up from 70.5% in 2010. The categorical pediatrics overall fill rate is also similar to med-peds at 98.2%.
Family Medicine
The total number of programs was 453 (similar to 454 last year), offering 2,708 positions (up 100). The family medicine success in filling this year was 94.4%, up from 91.4% last year. US seniors account for 48% of the total family medicine match positions.
Overall, there were 16,893 US allopathic seniors who participated in the match this year, an increase from 16,427 last year.
Take-home points about the Match specific to med-peds are as follows:
1. There was one less med-peds program entering the Match (total number was 77), but six more positions offered in 2011 than in 2010.
2. Med-peds had a slight increase in US senior applicants and a decrease in overall applicants who ranked a med-peds program
3. Med-peds filled 362 of 365 positions in 75 of 77 programs in the Match (99.2% success rate).
4. US seniors made up 84.7% of med-peds filled positions this year (a significant increase over two to three years ago), compared with 57.4% for categorical internal medicine, 71.2% for categorical pediatrics and 48% for family medicine.
There still is information that is unknown, including the # of applicants taken outside of the Match, as well as the number of US seniors who would have liked to match into med-peds but either matched into another specialty or did not match at all. Finally, if US seniors wanting to match into med-peds were unsuccessful, and subsequently scrambled into positions in other specialties, what those positions are is still unknown.
The data for the med-peds 2011 Match are very favorable, and collectively we should be very proud of our work. Sustainability from last years high fill rate is evident, and more US seniors are considering med-peds. As the accreditation process and revision of the med-peds requirements evolve, on top of new duty hour requirements coming to fruition in July 2011, we should all pause and reflect upon a job well done. Today, students are eagerly opening envelopes which will indicate where they will spend the next few years, followed by a rewarding career in med-peds, wherever that might be. We do make a huge difference, not only for students, but our residents and ultimately, our patients.
I look forward to seeing all of you at our yearly meeting in a few weeks. Thanks to all of you for what you do.
Alex Djuricich, MD
President, Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association
