Family medicine position matches rise

For the second year in a row, the number of U.S. medical school seniors who will train as family medicine residents has increased, according to results released by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). The number of students matched to family medicine positions rose by 11% over 2010.

Among primary care specialties, family medicine programs showed the strongest growth in the number of positions filled by U.S. seniors. In this year's match, American students filled nearly half of the 2,708 family medicine residency slots. Family medicine also offered 100 more positions this year.

In internal medicine, graduating American medical students filled 2,940 of 5,121 positions, an 8% increase over last year, according to NRMP. Currently, about 20% to 25% of internal medicine residents eventually choose to specialize in general internal medicine, according to the American College of Physicians.