Record number of DO students and graduates secure residency placements through 2022 NRMP Match

CHICAGO, March 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- An all-time high total of 7,049 osteopathic medical students and past DO graduates matched into postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) residency positions today through the 2022 National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Match. Overall, the number of matching students and DOs reflects a nearly 7% increase over 2021 Match Day placements.

Setting another record, 91.3% of the 7,303 participating DO students matched into residency programs in 41 specialties, the most specialties ever recorded for DO Match Day placements and an increase from the 38 reported in 2021. Compared with last year, the number of osteopathic fourth-year students who matched into PGY1 positions increased by 5.4%. Final placement numbers will be available in May and are expected to exceed the 99% rate reported in prior years.

"The success of our DO students and graduates in this year's Match is an exciting indicator of the continued growth of osteopathic medicine and the remarkable quality of the osteopathic physicians entering the healthcare community," said AOA President Joseph A. Giaimo, DO. "I could not be prouder of where our profession is heading and know the future looks bright in the hands of these promising residents."

A total of 3,757 (56.4%) matching students landed positions in primary care programs, including family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics—all three with significant increases from last year. The remaining 2,909 (43.6%) DO fourth-year students who matched secured non-primary care placements across a wide range of specialties.

"We could not be more thrilled that our osteopathic medical students and graduates continue to succeed in the NRMP Match," said AOA CEO Kevin M. Klauer, DO, EJD. "This year's exceptionally high match rate demonstrates that osteopathic medical students are not only being welcomed into postgraduate programs across the full spectrum of specialties, but they are being actively sought out for the distinctive perspective and approach they bring to the practice of medicine."

Notable increases for placements in key specialties, such as diagnostic radiology, neurology, neurosurgery, obstetrics-gynecology, orthopedic surgery, pathology and psychiatry, indicate growing opportunities for DO residents to pave the way for further incorporation of osteopathic principles and practice across all areas of medicine.

Top 15 Specialty Areas:

For graduating fourth-year osteopathic medical students, the top 15 specialties by number of PGY1 matches are:

1. Internal Medicine
2. Family Medicine
3. Emergency Medicine
4. Pediatrics
5. Psychiatry
6. Transitional Year
7. Anesthesiology
8. OBGYN
9. Surgery
10. Internal Medicine-Preliminary Year
11. Neurology
12. Orthopedic Surgery
13. Pathology
14. Surgery
15. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Additionally, this match season, a record number of 302 graduating osteopathic fourth-year students and 76 graduates placed via the military match, which places applicants into programs run or sponsored by the military. A small number of graduating osteopathic medical students and recent graduates were placed into programs via smaller specialty matches such as the Urology Match and the San Francisco Match.

About the American Osteopathic Association
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 168,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; and is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools. To learn more about DOs and the osteopathic philosophy of medicine, visit www.osteopathic.org.

SOURCE American Osteopathic Association