Competitiveness of the match for interventional radiology and neuroradiology fellowships

Overall resident interest in certain subspecialties changes with time. We sought to investigate the latest 6-year trend in interventional radiology (IR) and neuroradiology fellowship applications and how it has affected competitiveness in obtaining a position.

We analyzed statistics published by the National Resident Matching Program in Results and Data: Specialties Matching Service from 2008 to 2013. From these data, we calculated the positions per IR applicant (PPIRA) and positions per neuroradiology applicant (PPNRA) for each year.

The number of positions per applicant is one way to assess specialty competitiveness on a supply-and-demand basis. A lower PPIRA or PPNRA indicates a more competitive year. PPIRA has decreased every year, from 1.71 to the present 0.84, and contributed to 52 applicants being unmatched in 2013, up from 9 in 2008. Accordingly, the number of unfilled positions has decreased from 86 in 2008 to 8 in 2013. PPNRA waxed and waned from 2008 to 2010 but stabilized at around 1.15 thereafter. The number of unfilled positions has never dropped below 46. The number of unmatched applicants was consistently in the teens, except in 2011, when it increased to 23.

Interest in IR fellowship has increased significantly over the past 6 years, whereas interest in neuroradiology fellowships has plateaued. IR fellowships have become increasingly competitive, leading to many unmatched residents.