IMGs in the 2012 Match

A resource of the:

Throughout June 2012 we asked visitors to the ECHO website, What kind of data on IMGs in U.S. graduate medical education (GME) would you like to see? You told us that you want to learn more about IMGs in the 2012 Match, and we listened. Heres a look at some data from the 2012 Match, as reported by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP, or The Match) and IMGs who participated in the process.

IMGs in the Match, 2008 - 2012

Positions Offered U.S. Citizen IMG Applicants Non-U.S. Citizen IMG Applicants Total Active Applicants U.S. Citizen IMGs Matched Non-U.S. Citizen IMGs Matched

35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Source: National Resident Matching Program, Results and Data: 2012 Main Residency Match. National Resident Matching Program, Washington, DC. 2012.

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 IMGs who 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.

Top 10 Specialties for Matched IMGs, 2012 Match

Non-U.S. Citizen IMGs 2,000 1,800 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 U.S. Citizen IMGs

Source: National Resident Matching Program, Results and Data: 2012 Main Residency Match. National Resident Matching Program, Washington, DC. 2012. IMGs in the 2012 Match matched to 34 different specialties. This chart shows the top 10 specialties to which IMGs matched, broken down by U.S. citizen IMGs and non-U.S. citizen IMGs. The top specialty for both U.S. citizen IMGs and non-U.S. citizen IMGs was Internal Medicine. Approximately 28% of the 2,102 U.S. citizen matched IMGs and 45% of the 2,775 non-U.S. citizen matched IMGs matched to Internal Medicine.

In April and May 2012, ERAS Support Services at ECFMG surveyed IMGs who participated in the 2012 ERAS Season. More than 5,000 IMGs responded to the survey, providing insight into their experiences with the ERAS application and Match processes. Respondents were asked to describe the results of their 2012 Match participation. These self-reported outcomes are used to categorize answers from other items in the survey, allowing you to identify and compare answers of successful candidates.

Which of the following statements best describes the result of your 2012 Match participation?

I did not obtain a position. 41%

I obtained a position through The Match. 43% I obtained a position through the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP). 2%

I obtained a position outside of The Match.* 14%

Source: 2012 IMG Post-Match Survey. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. Philadelphia, PA. 2012

* Each year, a significant number of IMG applicants obtain positions outside of The Match. For example, more than 2,300 of the 7,023 IMGs in PGY-1 for the 2010-2011 academic year obtained their positions outside of The Match. For the 2013 Match, the NRMP is implementing an All-in policy that requires any program participating in The Match to attempt to fill all of its position through The Match or another national matching plan. This means that these programs will not be able to offer positions to IMGs prior to The Match. In the coming months look for an ECHO resource focused on the Allin policy. In the meantime, more information can be found on the NRMPs website at http://www.nrmp.org/.

How many GME programs did you apply to through ERAS for the 2012 Match?
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Fewer than 50 programs 50 to 100 programs 101 to 250 programs More than 250 programs Obtained a position through The Match Obtained a position through SOAP Obtained a position outside of The Match Did not obtain a position

Source: 2012 IMG Post-Match Survey. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. Philadelphia, PA. 2012 For every category except those who obtained a position through SOAP, the highest percentage of respondents reported they applied to 101 to 250 programs in preparation for The Match.

How many clinical disciplines (specialties) did you apply to (e.g., Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, General Surgery, etc.) through ERAS for the 2012 Match?
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 1 clinical discipline Between 2 and 4 disciplines More than 4 disciplines Obtained a position through The Match Obtained a position through SOAP Obtained a position outside of The Match Did not obtain a position

Source: 2012 IMG Post-Match Survey. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. Philadelphia, PA. 2012 Overall, only 2.4% of respondents reported applying to more than 4 disciplines in preparation for The Match.

How many programs invited you for an interview?

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% None 1 to 5 programs 6 to 15 programs More than 15 programs Obtained a position through The Match Obtained a position through SOAP Obtained a position outside of The Match Did not obtain a position

Among all respondents, interview requests from 1 to 5 programs was the average, with candidates who were successful both in and out of The Match receiving the highest number of interview invitations.

Source: 2012 IMG Post-Match Survey. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. Philadelphia, PA. 2012

Were you able to obtain a letter of recommendation from a physician practicing medicine in the United States?
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Yes No Obtained a position through The Match Obtained a position through SOAP Obtained a position outside of The Match Did not obtain a position

Nearly all survey respondents reported that they were able to obtain at least one letter of recommendation from a U.S. physician.

Source: 2012 IMG Post-Match Survey. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. Philadelphia, PA. 2012

Before applying for a residency position, did you have any clinical experiences (i.e., observership, clerkship rotation, medical research position) in the United States?
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Yes No Obtained a position through The Match Obtained a position through SOAP Obtained a position outside of The Match Did not obtain a position

Source: 2012 IMG Post-Match Survey. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. Philadelphia, PA. 2012

Nearly all of our survey respondents reported that they were able to participate in at least one U.S. clinical experience.

Please indicate which of the following U.S. experiences you had based on the options below.
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Obtained a position through The Match Obtained a position through SOAP Obtained a position outside of The Match Did not obtain a position

As part of this question, respondents were given the option to enter other types of U.S. clinical experiences in an open text field. Other types of experience reported by successful Match participants include internships, externships, volunteering at community health clinics, and working at a U.S. hospital in other roles such as medical assistant and technician.

Among candidates who were successful in The Match, clerkship rotations were the most common form of U.S. clinical experience. A clerkship rotation is a hands-on clinical experience, typically done during your third or fourth year of medical school. Foreign national IMGs must be aware of visa restrictions that may limit hands-on clinical activities in the United States.

Source: 2012 IMG Post-Match Survey. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. Philadelphia, PA. 2012

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Were you able to secure a residency position at the U.S. institution where you engaged in a clinical experience (e.g., observership, clerkship, medical research)?
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Yes No Obtained a position through The Match Obtained a position through SOAP Obtained a position outside of The Match Did not obtain a position

Source: 2012 IMG Post-Match Survey. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. Philadelphia, PA. 2012

These clinical experiences were helpful for respondents who obtained a position through The Match, as more than 70% were matched to an institution with which they had previous clinical experience.

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How did you obtain your U.S. clinical experience?

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Obtained a position through The Match Obtained a position through SOAP Obtained a position outside of The Match Did not obtain a position

Source: 2012 IMG Post-Match Survey. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. Philadelphia, PA. 2012

For survey respondents, directly contacting a teaching hospital, personal contacts, and their own medical schools were the most effective ways to obtain U.S. clinical experiences.

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100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

Looking back on the application process, which topics would you have liked more information about?

All respondents

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) website can help you research your programs/institutions of interest. Though it does not provide specific eligibility criteria, licensure requirements, or policies about visas, this website can connect you with contact information necessary to research your programs of interest and confirm the accreditation status of the program(s). To search for accredited programs on the ACGME website, click "Search Programs & Sponsors" in the left-hand menu. Then click "Accredited Programs" in the left-hand menu of the new page. Here you can search by ACGME program number, by specialty or subspecialty, or by state. To learn more about the residency application process, visit the Resources section of ECHO. In July, we published Personal Statement Dos and Donts and Asking for a Letter of Recommendation. In September, we will be posting a new resource about the residency interview process.

Individual program requirements, the interview process, and personal statements were the topics that posed the most problems for survey respondents. To learn more about individual program requirements, including minimum eligibility criteria, ERAS application deadlines, licensure requirements, and institutional policies about visas, visit the programs website, where much of this information can be found, or contact the program directly. Another resource on program information is the American Medical Associations FREIDA Online, a database of more than 9,000 GME programs.

Source: 2012 IMG Post-Match Survey. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. Philadelphia, PA. 2012

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Additional Data on The Match

Each year, ECFMG publishes a summary of IMG performance in The Match through The ECFMG Reporter. Results and Data: 2012 Main Residency Match Program Results, 2008-2012

NRMP publishes a variety of reports on The Match, all of which are available on the Data and Reports page of the NRMP website. Data published as of August for the 2012 Match include: 2012 Match Results by State, Specialty, and Applicant Type

Each September, The Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges (JAMA) publishes an article on residents in U.S. GME during the preceding academic year. IMG data in this article includes the number of IMGs in U.S. GME programs; number of IMGs in each specialty and subspecialty; citizenship status of first-year IMGs by specialty; and citizenship/visa status of all IMG residents.

This resource is available in the ECHO section of the ECFMG website at www.ecfmg.org/echo. Copyright 2012 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. All rights reserved. Rev. August 6, 2012

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