Monitoring the Evolving Match Environment in Emergency Medicine 2023

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine Training
• Residency Matching

Background:

• The 2023 National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) Match revealed significant unfilled positions in emergency medicine (EM).
• 132 EM programs and 554 spots remained unfilled, prompting an investigation into the causes and potential solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize programs that filled and did not fill positions in the 2023 NRMP Match.
• To assess the quality of Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) applicants for unfilled EM positions.
• To determine residency programs' needs and desired actions for a healthier EM training future.

Main Methods:

• A web-based survey was distributed to EM residency program leadership in March-April 2023.
• Descriptive statistics were generated from survey responses.
• Thematic analysis was applied to qualitative free-text responses.

Main Results:

• 160 of 287 (55.7%) programs responded, including 59 of 132 (44.7%) unfilled programs.
• Unfilled programs generally found the SOAP applicant pool quality satisfactory.
• While 78.1% acknowledged workforce concerns, opinions varied widely on necessary actions to support EM residency training.

Conclusions:

• The 2023 Match data highlights challenges in EM residency recruitment and program filling.
• Program leaders expressed a need for continued assessment of the Match environment and actionable strategies.
• Ongoing annual review of Match data and program needs is crucial for improving the EM training landscape.