#United States #Washington #Pediatrics #National Resident Matching Program #Medicine

NRMP Celebrates the 2025 Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match

On December 3, 2025, the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®) proudly acknowledged its Match Day for the Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match. This year's event witnessed participation from 8,526 resident physicians who secured positions in fellowship training programs for the 2026 appointment year, marking a significant milestone in graduate medical education.

Overview of the Match

The Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match is recognized as the largest among the 22 fellowship matches coordinated by the NRMP under its Specialties Matching Service® (SMS®). This year, the Match covered an impressive array of 40 subspecialties spanning Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, including Addiction and various multidisciplinary fields. The event saw a total of 3,777 program tracks submitting certified rank order lists, reflecting a growth of 68 tracks compared to last year. In total, these programs offered 9,950 fellowship positions, with an impressive fill rate of 85.7% as 8,526 positions were filled, marking an increase of 213 placements since 2024.

Donna L. Lamb, President and CEO of NRMP, commented on these developments, remarking, "The 2025 Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match underscores continued interest in and importance of subspecialty training in meeting the complex health care needs of patients nationwide."

Key Highlights

Participation Growth

The Match reflected a diversity of subspecialties—with 18 Internal Medicine subspecialties offering a total of 6,721 positions across 2,296 program tracks. The overall fill rate for positions stood at 88.8%, showing a slight decrease compared to the previous year. Key Internal Medicine subspecialties that reported exceptional fill rates included:

• - Cardiovascular Disease: 1,347 positions, 100% fill rate
• - Gastroenterology: 759 positions, 99.5% fill rate
• - Hematology and Oncology: 809 positions, 99.5% fill rate
• - Pulmonary/Critical Care: 844 positions, 98.8% fill rate
• - Rheumatology: 302 positions, 99.0% fill rate

In the Pediatric subspecialties domain, 925 programs offered 1,969 positions, achieving a fill rate of 78.3%—an increase from the previous year. Noteworthy Pediatric specialties included:

• - Pediatric Cardiology: 194 positions, 98.5% fill rate
• - Pediatric Gastroenterology: 124 positions, 96.0% fill rate

Applicant Trends

Among the active candidates this year, 78.7% secured positions, although this represented a slight decrease of 2.4 percentage points from the last year. Notably, the number of applicants grew by 5.7%, indicating an increased competitive landscape. The breakdown of matches amongst different applicant groups revealed:

• - MD Graduates: 4,618 participants, with 89% matching to positions (a decrease of 34 from 2024).
• - DO Graduates: 1,728 participants, with 78% successfully matching (an increase of 133 from last year).
• - U.S. Citizen International Medical Graduates (IMGs): 1,593, with 65% matching (down by four).
• - Non-U.S. Citizens IMGs: 2,892, with 70% matching (up by 128).

This year's Match also allowed candidates to categorize a variety of subspecialties on a single rank order, enhancing their chances of aligning their preferences with their partner’s training opportunities.

The Broader Impact

The NRMP's Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match is a testament to evolving trends in the medical profession. As the aging population increases, so does the demand for trained professionals in subspecialties catering to older adults. Despite challenges, such as declining fill rates in Adult Infectious Disease and fluctuations in Geriatric Medicine, the Match continues to adapt, providing vital data for future improvements and strategies.

As stated by Lamb, the NRMP remains committed to facilitating opportunities that align physician interests with community healthcare needs. The 2025 Match results illustrate this ongoing endeavor within graduate medical education, reaffirming the critical need for highly specialized training essential for contemporary healthcare.

Conclusion

The National Resident Matching Program's execution of the 2025 Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match has set the stage for continued excellence in fellowship training. By fostering a diverse pool of applicants and offering abundant training opportunities, the NRMP champions the future of medical education, driving forward the mission to meet the complex healthcare dynamics of generations to come.