Unfilled Positions in the 2022 Radiation Oncology Match: A Reduction in Positions

Abstract

In a brief span of approximately 5 years, the field of radiation oncology has gone from one of the most competitive fields in the Match to the least competitive with radiation oncology programs becoming the top user of the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP).1Goodman CR Sim A Jeans EB et al.No longer a match: Trends in Radiation Oncology National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) data from 2010 to 2020 and comparison across specialties.Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2021; 110: 278-287Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (12) Google Scholar We have published 3 consecutive reports documenting 2 major trends within the Match: a decreasing number of overall and US Senior applicants and an increasing number of unmatched positions.2Bates 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-e308Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (16) Google Scholar, 3Bates 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: 300-302Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (25) Google Scholar, 4Bates JE Amdur RJ Lee WR Unfilled positions in the 2021 Radiation Oncology Match.Pract Radiat Oncol. 2021; 11: 323-324Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (4) Google Scholar We aim to further document trends in the radiation oncology match to better understand the pipeline for future radiation oncologists. We report data from 2008 onward, the first year that the National Residency Matching Program published data on the number of unmatched spots and the number of US MD senior medical applicants.5National Resident Matching Program. Advance data tables: 2022 Main Residency Match. Available at:https://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Advance-Data-Tables-2022-FINAL.pdf. Accessed May 11, 2022Google Scholar Figure 1 shows the number of radiation oncology positions in the Match, the number of total applicants, and the number of US MD senior applicants (to be consistent with prior National Residency Matching Program data which documented US Senior applicants as graduates of allopathic medical schools) to second postgraduate year (PGY-2) programs. Total applicant numbers also include US DO senior applicants, and both American and non-American international medical graduates. Figure 2 shows the absolute number of unmatched positions (excluding PGY-2 reserved programs, which are not open to application for graduating medical students). All data excludes the SOAP program for which information is not available.Fig. 2Plot of unmatched radiation oncology positions in the Match.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT) We make 3 primary conclusions regarding these data:1.The number of total positions has declined.This year, 176 total positions (excluding PGY-2 reserved positions) were available in the Match. This represents a decline of 31 spots from the peak of 207 available positions (15%) in 2019. This is the third consecutive year of a decline in the number of positions.2.The proportion of unmatched positions remains consistent.For the fourth consecutive year, there were 30 or more unmatched spots in the radiation oncology match. The absolute number of unmatched positions (33) and percentage (18.8%) are essentially consistent year-on-year from 2020 to 2022 and is the highest of any specialty.3.The number of both overall and US MD Senior applicants has stabilized.The number of applicants, both US MD Senior applicants and total applicants slightly increased from 2021 to 2022 (104-111, 175-189 respectively). These numbers remain well below the peaks seen in the late 2010s. The total number of applicants was higher than the number of available spots for the first time since 2018, suggesting that some applicants went unmatched. The number of unmatched positions remains quite high, but both number of applicants and proportion of unmatched positions appears to have stabilized. Although this does not include data regarding the SOAP, given that most unmatched positions fill in the SOAP, it is unlikely to make any meaningful difference in our conclusions. This data suggests that programs are beginning to align the number of available positions with medical student interest in the field.