Trends in physical medicine and rehabilitation as a medical specialty: PM&R residency and fellowship match data
By Carrie Gould, MD, MBA
The Match
In medical schools nationwide, Friday, March 20th, was not just a historic day for graduating seniors, a day when with trepidation and excitement each senior student received an envelope holding their future three to seven years of training. March 20, 2017 also marked the largest ever NRMP Match Day since its inception. Over 35,000 U.S. and international medical school seniors and graduates participated in matching to 31,757 positions, the most ever offered in The Match (with an almost 1,000 increase in first-year positions from the year prior).
The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) notes that 94% of U.S. applicants overall successfully matched into a residency position. Of these, 78% were matched into one of their top three choices. Given that the AAMC anticipates a physician shortage of 104,900 physicians nationwide by 2030, this was promising news toward the future of healthcare.
PM&R residency match
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) in particular is one of the specialties that has become more popular, and therefore more competitive, among medical students in recent years. For those unfamiliar with this small but growing specialty, PM&R was formally established in 1947 with the focus of restoration of patients’ functional ability following disease or impairment, such as spinal cord injury, stroke, brain injury or amputation, but it has since grown to include much more.
In the NRMP Match, 32 categorical (PGY-1) PM&R programs offered 119 positions with only one unfilled position nationwide for a 99.2% total match rate (62.6% of U.S. seniors matching). Sixty-two advanced (PGY-2) PM&R programs offered 294 spots that were all filled for a 100% total match rate.
The National Matching Service (NMS) for the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) likewise reported that the four osteopathic PM&R residency programs were successful in filling 14 positions with 100% match rate.
Fellowship Trends
Physiatry residents also demonstrated success with fellowship match in the ACGME-certified specialties of brain injury medicine, spinal cord injury medicine and pediatric rehabilitation medicine. Ninety-one percent (91%) of physiatry fellowship applicants successfully matched into a fellowship position.
In brain injury medicine (which also included one neurology program and non-accredited ACGME programs), there were 16 enrolled programs offering 17 positions in brain injury medicine. For brain injury medicine, all U.S. applicants seeking a position were matched (100% match rate), while 88.2% of brain injury medicine fellowship positions filled, leaving only 2 unfilled positions.
In pediatric rehabilitation, 23 positions were offered. Of the 11 U.S. graduates applying in pediatric rehabilitation medicine, 10 were matched in positions (91% match rate). Sixteen of 23 (69.5%) pediatric rehabilitation positions were filled (which is an improvement from 61.9% pediatric rehabilitation positions filled in 2016). Sixteen of 18, or 88.9%, of applicants in pediatric rehabilitation were successfully matched to a position.
In spinal cord injury medicine, 19 programs offered 27 positions. Of the 12 U.S. graduates applying in spinal cord injury medicine, 11 were matched into a spinal cord injury position (92% match rate). Twenty spots were filled in the match for an overall program match rate of 74%, with 7 spots going unfilled in the match (which is an improvement from 50% spinal cord injury position match rate in 2016). For all graduates applying in spinal cord injury medicine, 87% were successfully matched.
Carrie Gould, MD, MBA, is a PGY-3 Resident Physician at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, part of Northwestern Medicine.
References:
“AAMC Recognizes Successful Match Day Amid Physician Shortage and Immigration Concerns.” (March 17, 2017). AAMC. Retrieved April 7, 2017 from https://news.aamc.org/press-releases/article/match_day_03172017/
“Advanced Data Tables: 2017 Main Residency Match.” (March 2017). National Resident Matching Program. Retrieved April 7, 2017 from http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Advance-Data-Tables-2017.pdf
“Rehabilitation Medicine — 2017.” National Resident Matching Program. Retrieved April 7, 2017 from http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/AY2017-Rehabilitation-Medicine-Match-Results-Statistics.pdf
“Results and Data: Specialties Matching Service. 2017 Appointment Year.” National Resident Matching Program. Retrieved April 7, 2017 from http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Results-and-Data-SMS-2017.pdf
“Summary of Positions Offered and Filled by Program Type.” National Matching Services, Inc. Retrieved April 7, 2017 from https://natmatch.com/aoairp/stats/2017prgstats.html
