Match results for DO residents reach an all-time high

More than 6,200 osteopathic medical students and past DO graduates have matched into residency programs through the 2020 National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) called Match, resulting in an all-time high for primary care as a top specialty choice.

These results are historic in terms of primary care, which is more popular than ever for osteopathic physicians. A total of 56 percent of graduates chose family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and combined primary care residencies.

“As a family physician, I embrace the osteopathic philosophy in my own practice and am excited to see so many of our graduates selecting primary care specialties,” said AOA President Ronald Burns, DO, FACOFP. “However, I am equally excited to see the breadth of specialties represented by our profession, as our distinct approach to care spans all specialties.”

In all, a total of 90.7 percent of DO students matched into programs in 38 specialties.

The top 10 specialties by number of matches are:

1.     Family Medicine

2.     Internal Medicine

3.     Emergency Medicine

4.     Pediatrics

5.     Psychiatry

6.     Anesthesiology  

7.      Transitional (PGY1 only)

8.     OB-GYN

9.     Surgery

10.  Internal Medicine-preliminary (PGY1 only)

“As the 123rd president of the AOA, one of my goals has been to help define and preserve the distinctiveness of osteopathic medicine,” said Dr. Burns, DO, FACOFP. “The program directors have spoken, and they clearly see the value and distinctiveness that exists within osteopathic candidates.”