During 2015 and early 2016, more than 8,000 physicians were matched to fellowship positions through the National Resident Matching Program's Specialties Matching Service, according to a new report.
The annual report, "Results and Data Specialties Matching Service, 2016 Appointment Year," offers five-year trend data by specialty, a state-by-state breakdown of participating programs and match rates by applicant type.
Here are six key findings:
• Of the 9,320 positions offered through the SMS, 86.3 percent were filled
• A little over 81 percent of the 9,893 applicants who submitted a ranked list of programs obtained positions, the highest match rate on record for the SMS
• The number of registered non-U.S. citizen graduates of international medical schools declined for the fourth year in a row, down almost 500 applicants since 2012
• U.S. allopathic graduates matched at a rate of 89.4 percent
• Eight specialties, all in OB-GYN and surgery, filled 75 percent or more of their positions with U.S. allopathic medical school graduates.
• Twenty-nine specialties filled less than 50 percent of their positions with U.S. allopathic graduates