Unfilled Positions in the 2021 Radiation Oncology Match

Abstract

During the past 2 years, we have documented 2 subsequent trends regarding The Match for radiation oncology residency positions: (1) an increasing number of unmatched positions and (2) a decreasing number of both overall applicants and US Senior applicants. 1 Bates JE Amdur RJ Lee WR Unfilled positions in the 2020 radiation oncology residency match: No longer an isolated event. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2020; 10: e307-e308 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (14) Google Scholar ,2 Bates JE Amdur RJ Lee WR The high number of unfilled positions in the 2019 radiation oncology residency match: Temporary variation or indicator of important change?. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2019; 9: 300-302 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (23) Google Scholar Although there has been a rise in the number of unmatched residency positions, many of these positions have filled in the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), resulting in minimal change in the total number of radiation oncology residents each year. 3 Chowdhary M Taparra K Bates JE Royce TJ Radiation oncology application and match patterns, pre- and post-SOAP (Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program) from 2012 to 2020. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2021; 11: 152-153 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (6) Google Scholar The field of radiation oncology has become a top user of the SOAP, emphasizing this imbalance between available positions and applicants. 4 Goodman CR, Sim A, Jeans EB, et al. No longer a match: Trends in Radiation Oncology National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) data from 2010-2020 and comparison across specialties. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. Online ahead of print. Google Scholar This issue has been become a “hot topic” within the radiation oncology community with the Chairman of the American Society for Radiation Oncology publishing a recent blog post in which he links this trend to “growing concerns about the future of the workforce.” 5 Eichler T. The future of our field. Availble at: https://www.astro.org/Blog/January-2021/The-Future-of-our-Field. Accessed March 19, 2021. Google Scholar A recent survey of medical students found that among those who expressed interest in radiation oncology, only 20% applied to radiation oncology. 6 Wu TC McCloskey SA Wallner PE Steinberg ML Raldow AC The declining residency applicant pool: A multi-institutional medical student survey to identify precipitating factors. Adv Radiat Oncol. 2021; 6100597 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (11) Google Scholar We aim to further update our reports and provide another year of data to assess if these trends are continuing.