Another Record Match Day for Family Medicine
March 15, 2024, David Mitchell — Family medicine is once again celebrating a record-breaking Match Day!
The specialty’s programs filled 4,595 positions in the National Resident Matching Program Main Residency Match, according to results released today. That’s 65 more than last year’s record-breaking class.
Family medicine categorical and combined programs offered 5,231 positions, up 124 compared to a year ago. It marked the 15th year in a row that the number of family medicine positions offered in the NRMP Match increased. Nearly 800 family medicine programs offered positions this year, with a fill rate of 88 percent.
When the results of this week’s Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program are added to the specialty’s main Match total, it’s likely that the incoming class of family medicine residents will top 5,100 individuals.
“We celebrate and welcome those who matched today,” said AAFP Vice President of Medical Education Karen Mitchell, M.D., FAAFP. “Our new family physicians of the future will deliver much-needed health care across the United States, serving in rural and underserved areas in a way that is unique to family medicine.”
Steven Gawrys and his family share the news that he matched to the University of Florida Family Medicine Program.
The specialty had 636 unfilled positions, up 59 from 2023. Mitchell said it’s likely the vast majority of those positions filled during the SOAP. That process concluded March 14, but official numbers are not yet available. For perspective, there were 577 family medicine positions unfilled in last year’s main residency Match, and 517 of those filled through the SOAP.
Story Highlights
Of the students and graduates who filled family medicine slots in the main Match reported by the NRMP today:
- U.S. seniors from allopathic medical schools accounted for 1,535 positions, up from 1,499 in 2023.
- Seniors from osteopathic medical schools accounted for 1,493 positions, down from 1,514.
- International medical students and graduates (including 749 U.S. citizens) accounted for 1,455 positions, up from 1,355.
- Previous graduates of U.S. allopathic schools and osteopathic schools accounted for a total of 112 positions.
A more in-depth look at the 2024 numbers is available on the AAFP’s Match analysis webpage.
“We need more family doctors,” said Mitchell, who noted the United States is projected to experience a shortage of more than 52,000 primary care physicians by 2025. “Each person matching today moves us one step closer to meeting the primary care workforce needs of our country. Medical students’ experience with and exposure to family medicine greatly influences their decision to choose our specialty. We are grateful to the many preceptors who have touched the lives of our medical students and encourage those who want to contribute to this vital work to contact your local medical school.”
The AAFP launched the Family Medicine Champions program last fall to support those who influence students to choose family medicine, and the Academy has created a partnership to expose students to the specialty as early as high school. The Academy also supports a nationwide network of family medicine interest groups with resources and information.
“The future is bright for family medicine, a specialty that will fill our country’s primary care needs,” Mitchell said. “We know there is more work to be done, especially looking at the systemic issues that challenge primary care. Nevertheless, family medicine educational opportunities in community-based settings will help provide the primary care workforce in the future in the areas that need it most.”
What’s Next?
Residency Leadership Summit: The majority of U.S. family medicine residency programs will be represented, with hundreds of program directors, associate program directors and program coordinators in attendance, at the AAFP’s Residency Leadership Summit, March 25-27 in Kansas City, Mo.
“RLS is designed for program directors and leaders, supporting programs not only in resident education but also about the residency recruitment process that makes Match Day successful,” Mitchell said.
They Matched. So Can You: Students planning to match next year and beyond can register to join a free webinar at 6 p.m. CT on April 9 to hear from medical students who just matched into family medicine and get their advice on how to match in 2025.
Free Match Guidebook: Students also can access a free, step-by-step guide to the process in Strolling Through the Match, which already has been updated for the 2024-25 Match cycle. The resource offers tips for every stage of the Match, from choosing a specialty to applying, interviewing and ranking residency programs.
National Conference: Finally, the AAFP’s National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students is Aug. 1-3 in Kansas City, Mo. This event offers live workshops, procedural courses, leadership opportunities, student and resident congresses and an expo hall showcasing hundreds of residency programs.
“National Conference is a great opportunity for students to see a broad view of family medicine, meet programs and connect with peers and residents,” Mitchell said.
Scholarships are available for students and residents. In celebration of the event’s 50th anniversary, students who register by May 16 pay just $50.