Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship Program Size Effect on Recruitment and Workforce Distribution.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pulmonology Workforce Development

Background:

• Pediatric pulmonology faces recruitment challenges, highlighting the need to understand fellowship program dynamics.
• Program size is a key factor in the financial health and recruitment success of subspecialty training programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the impact of pediatric pulmonology fellowship program size on recruitment and workforce distribution.
• To examine trends in applicant matching into pediatric pulmonology training programs over time.

Main Methods:

• Extracted data from the National Residency Match Program (2010-2022).
• Calculated positions offered, filled, and match rates annually.
• Correlated matched fellows per capita with practicing pediatric pulmonologists using American Board of Pediatrics data.

Main Results:

• Pediatric pulmonology programs were stable in size from 2010-2018, with most fellows in programs of 1-2 positions.
• From 2019-2022, larger programs (3+ positions) increased, leading to more filled positions (50.5 vs. 38.9) and a higher match rate into these programs (36.9% vs. 17.6%).
• The number of matched fellows correlated strongly with the number of practicing pediatric pulmonologists per capita (r=0.78, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• A significant shift occurred between 2019-2022, with more pediatric pulmonary trainees matching into fewer, larger programs.
• This concentration of trainees in larger programs may influence the future geographical distribution of practicing pediatric pulmonologists.
• Understanding these program size dynamics is crucial for effective pediatric pulmonology workforce planning.