With more than 14,000 applicants landing positions, the 2024 appointment year fellowship Match was the largest on record. Figures released by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) detail data behind matches—conducted in 2023 and early 2024—for 77 subspecialities that started over the summer.
In total, 6,116 programs that submitted certified rank-order lists offered 14,169 fellowship positions, of which 11,853 (83.7%) were filled, and 74% of programs in the varying matches filled all positions. On the applicant side, of the 14,034 active applicants who participated in at least one fellowship Match, 11,853 (84.5%) obtained positions.
For residents pondering their next career move, the AMA Transitioning to Practice series has guidance and resources on deciding where to practice, negotiating an employment contract, managing work-life balance, and other essential tips about starting in practice.
Applicant type
Certain subspecialities were more prone to certain types of applicants, according to the NRMP. Gynecologic oncology, for instance, had the highest percentage of positions filled by U.S. MD graduates (90%).
Four other subspecialties with the highest percentage of positions filled by U.S. MDs were:
- Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery—90.0%.
- Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery—86.2%.
- Reproductive endocrinology—85.5%.
- Maternal fetal medicine—85.4%.
The five subspecialties with the highest percentages of positions filled by U.S. DO graduates were:
- Brain injury medicine—46.2%.
- Sports medicine—37.5%.
- Emergency medical services—33.7%.
- Forensic pathology—33.3%.
- Pain medicine—27.1%.
- Pulmonary disease—48.3%.
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The five subspecialties with the highest percentages of positions filled by U.S. citizen graduates of international medical schools were:
- Interventional pulmonology—23.3%.
- Critical care medicine—22.3%.
- Addiction psychiatry—22.2%.
- Nephrology—21.5%.
The five subspecialties with the highest percentages of positions filled by non-U.S. citizen graduates of international medical schools were:
- Endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism—37.7%.
- Nephrology—36.4%.
- Medical genetics—33.3%.
- Interventional pulmonology—32.6%.
- Rheumatology—31.5%.
Dive deeper:
- Learn the top factors fellowship program directors look for in applicants
- Thinking about fellowship? Ask yourself these 5 questions
- Fellowship helps physicians connect the dots on health equity
- 4 ways resident physicians can bolster their fellowship qualifications
Not matching
Roughly 15% of applicants seeking fellowships didn’t find a match. That setback may be a disappointment, but it’s important to keep the matter in perspective, said John Andrews, MD. He is the AMA’s vice president for graduate medical education innovations.
“By definition, people who are applying for fellowship are knowledgeable physicians,” he said. “They will have many opportunities to practice medicine in a variety of settings. To not match to a specific subspecialty training program may lead them to try to match again in a different year or find a different way to apply their skills. Not matching may limit your options to work in a highly specialized area, but you still have those skills as a physician to use in so many ways.”
For those looking to apply for fellowship beginning in the 2025 appointment year, make use of FREIDA™—a comprehensive AMA tool that captures data on more than 13,000 residency and fellowship programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
