Internal Medicine Residency Match is the Largest in History, Reflecting Essential Role of Internists

Philadelphia, March 19, 2021 -- The 2021 Main Residency Match revealed that internal medicine remains the largest training specialty, offering one-quarter (25.6 percent) of all PGY-1 positions in the Match. Internal medicine programs offered a record high 9,024 categorical positions and 441 primary care positions. Of the categorical positions, 8,632 (95.7 percent) were filled, 5,005 (58 percent) by U.S. medical school seniors. Of the primary care internal medicine positions, 437 (99.1 percent) were filled, 292 (67 percent) by U.S. medical school seniors. Over the last five years, the number of Internal Medicine positions offered has increased by 1,791 (24.8% increase).

“Internists remain on the front lines of infection control, diagnosis, and treatment battling COVID-19 in hospitals and ambulatory settings across the U.S. during the national public health emergency, and leading our country’s response to the pandemic,” said ACP's Vice President of Membership and Global Engagement, Philip A. Masters, MD, FACP.  “Internists have the expertise necessary to investigate new symptoms, make an accurate diagnosis, propose a patient-centered management plan, partner with patients and their caregivers, provide complex care for hospitalized patients, and coordinate interprofessional team care across our complex health care system.”

The number of positions offered in internal medicine-pediatrics in 2021 (385) was slightly lower than 2020 and has been relatively unchanged since 2015 (380), with 100 percent of those positions filled, 93.5 percent filled by U.S. medical school seniors.

“The internal medicine workforce remains the backbone of our health care system, and expansion of this workforce is imperative to provide access to specialty and subspecialty medical care for future patients,” added Dr. Masters.

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About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 163,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter and Instagram @acpinternists, and Facebook.

Contact: Andrew Hachadorian, (215) 351-2514, AHachadorian@acponline.org