Miscellaneous Blog
2025 NRMP Match Results — Specialty Match Rates, Trends & Take-Aways
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The 2025 Match results are out, and once again, certain trends highlight shifts in popularity, competitiveness, and opportunities for different types of applicants. In this post, we’ll first review some of the most popular specialties and how they performed in the Match, followed by a detailed look at the surgical specialties, which continue to attract some of the most competitive applicants.
Table of Contents
- 2025 Match Results – by Specialty and Applicant Type.
- Specialty‑by‑Specialty Q & A
○ Internal Medicine
○ Pediatrics
○ Neurology (PGY‑1)
○ Psychiatry
○ Pathology
○ Emergency Medicine
○ Family Medicine
○ Anesthesiology (PGY‑1) - Surgical Specialties: High Competitiveness and High Fill Rates
○ Orthopedic Surgery
○ Obstetrics‑Gynecology
○ General Surgery (Categorical)
○ Neurological Surgery
○ Plastic Surgery - 2024 vs. 2025: Notable Changes
- Key Takeaways for 2026 Applicants
To make sense of the NRMP data, it’s important to clarify the key terms used:
- U.S. IMG (U.S. International Medical Graduate): A U.S. citizen who attended a medical school outside the United States.
- Non-U.S. IMG (Non-U.S. International Medical Graduate): A non-U.S. citizen who attended a medical school outside the United States.
- U.S. MD Senior: A fourth-year medical student in a U.S. allopathic medical school, with a graduation date after July 1 in the year before the Match.
- U.S. DO Senior: A fourth-year medical student in a U.S. osteopathic medical school, with a graduation date after July 1 in the year before the Match.
2025 Match Results – by Specialty and Applicant Type.
| Specialty | Positions Offered | Positions Filled | MD Seniors | DO Seniors | U.S. IMG | Non-U.S. IMG | Unfilled Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Medicine (Categorical) | 10,941 | 10,584 | 3,782 | 1,882 | 1,145 | 3,573 | 357 |
| Family Medicine | 5,357 | 4,552 | 1,501 | 1,482 | 626 | 801 | 805 |
| Anesthesiology (PGY-1) | 1,805 | 1,804 | 1,301 | 308 | 47 | 84 | 1 |
| Emergency Medicine | 3,068 | 3,003 | 1,377 | 1,078 | 315 | 131 | 65 |
| Neurology(PGY-1) | 932 | 925 | 492 | 154 | 46 | 223 | 7 |
| Pathology | 622 | 619 | 263 | 104 | 57 | 168 | 3 |
| Pediatrics (Categorical) | 3,135 | 2,988 | 1,476 | 640 | 251 | 590 | 147 |
| Psychiatry | 2,388 | 2,380 | 1,433 | 542 | 153 | 190 | 8 |
Specialty‑by‑Specialty Q & A
🩺 Internal Medicine
Of 10,941 categorical spots, 10,584 were filled. MD seniors took 3,782 positions and DO seniors 1,882, highlighting the narrowing gap in MD vs. DO match rates. International graduates occupied 4,718 spots (1,145 U.S. IMGs, 3,573 non‑U.S. IMGs), confirming that Internal Medicine remains one of the specialties with the most IMG friendly residencies, leaving 357 vacancies slightly fewer than 2024.
Watch our Interview with a Harvard Internal Medicine Program Director:
👶 Pediatrics
What were the Match results for Pediatrics?
Pediatrics filled 2,988 of 3,135 slots. MD seniors matched into 1,476 positions, DO seniors 640, U.S. IMGs 251, and non‑U.S. IMGs 590, leaving 147 open spots.
🧠 Neurology (PGY‑1)
What were the Match results for Neurology?
Neurology posted 932 positions and filled 925. MD seniors secured 492 spots, DO seniors 154, U.S. IMGs 46, and non‑U.S. IMGs 223. Only 7 spots remained open.
💊 Psychiatry
What were the Match results for Psychiatry?
With 2,388 positions, Psychiatry filled 2,380, just 8 short of perfect. MD seniors captured 1,433 spots, DO seniors 542, and IMGs 343 (U.S. IMGs 153 and Non U.S. IMGs 190).
Read more about How to Match Into Psychiatry Here.
🧪 Pathology
What were the Match results for Pathology?
Out of 622 slots, 619 filled. With 263 MD seniors, 104 DO seniors, U.S. IMGs 57, and non‑U.S. IMGs 168, just 3 openings remained.
🚑 Emergency Medicine
What were the Match results for Emergency Medicine?
Following 2024’s sharp dip, EM rebounded: 3,003 / 3,068 positions filled, trimming unfilled spots to 65. MD seniors claimed 1,377 spots, DO seniors 1,078, and IMGs 446 (U.S. IMGs 315, and non‑U.S. IMGs 131).
Read more about How to Match Into Emergency Medicine Here.
👨⚕️ Family Medicine
How did Family Medicine perform in the 2025 Match?
Despite offering 5,357 positions, only 4,552 were filled. With 805 vacancies—the highest of any specialty, programs may need to look beyond graduates of the top med schools in the U.S. to fill spots—Family Medicine continues its challenge in attracting enough applicants. The distribution is the following: 1,501 MD, 1,482 DO, U.S. IMG 626, and 801 non‑U.S. IMGs.
💉 Anesthesiology (PGY‑1)
How did Anesthesiology perform in the 2025 Match?
Near saturation: 1,804 / 1,805 positions filled. MD seniors took 1,301 spots, DO seniors 308, and 131 spots went to IMGs—47 of those going to U.S. IMGs and 84 going to non‑U.S. IMGs, leaving a single vacancy, evidence of Anesthesiology’s stable competitiveness and favorable compensation outlook.
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Surgical Specialties: High Competitiveness and High Fill Rates
| Specialty | Positions Offered | Positions Filled | MD Seniors | DO Seniors | U.S. IMG | Non-U.S. IMG | Unfilled Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Surgery (Categorical) | 1,778 | 1,774 | 1,114 | 261 | 100 | 114 | 4 |
| Neurological Surgery | 268 | 265 | 228 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 3 |
| Orthopedic Surgery | 929 | 929 | 724 | 131 | 8 | 14 | 0 |
| Plastic Surgery | 221 | 221 | 197 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Obstetrics-Gynecology | 1,587 | 1,586 | 1,109 | 314 | 50 | 44 | 1 |
Orthopedic Surgery
How did Orthopedic Surgery perform in the 2025 Match?
Orthopedics achieved a perfect 929 / 929 fill rate—again. MD seniors secured 724 spots and DO seniors 131, leaving just 22 (U.S. IMGs 8 and Non U.S. IMGs 14) spots for IMGs. Data confirms Orthopedics as one of the toughest matches.
Obstetrics‑Gynecology
What were the Match results for OB‑GYN?
OB‑GYN offered 1,587 positions and filled 1,586. MD seniors matched into 1,109 slots, DO seniors 314, U.S. IMGs 50, and non‑U.S. IMGs 44 with only 1 spot unfilled.
General Surgery (Categorical)
How did General Surgery perform in the 2025 Match?
The field offered 1,778 categorical spots, filling 1,774. MD seniors took 1,114 positions, DO seniors 261, U.S. IMGs 100 and Non U.S. IMGs 114, with only 4 spots open.
Neurological Surgery
How did Neurological Surgery perform in the 2025 Match?
Of 268 spots, 265 filled. MD seniors matched into 228 spots, DO seniors 5, while IMGs secured 18 (U.S. IMGs 2 and Non U.S. IMGs 16).
Plastic Surgery
How did Plastic Surgery perform in the 2025 Match?
All 221 integrated plastic-surgery positions were filled, marking a 100% fill rate. MD seniors captured the overwhelming majority with 197 matches (≈ 89%), while DO seniors secured just 2 spots. International representation remained minimal—2 U.S. IMGs and 4 non-U.S. IMGs filled the remaining spots. With zero vacancies for the second straight year, Plastic Surgery remains one of the most competitive specialties, demanding top-tier USMLE scores, robust research portfolios, and strong sub-internship performance for a realistic shot.
If you need advice with picking the different available programs, a physician expert can help you with that.
2024 vs. 2025: Notable Changes
- Family Medicine continued its concerning trend with hundreds of unfilled positions.
- Emergency Medicine showed a slight recovery with fewer unfilled spots in 2025 compared to the sharp drops seen in 2024.
- Internal Medicine continues to offer the most spots by far, and has shown a slight decrease in the number of unfilled positions compared to 2024.
- Surgical specialties like Orthopedic Surgery, Neurological Surgery and Plastic Surgery maintained exceptionally high fill rates, showing that competitiveness for these fields remains very high.
- Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Neurology continue to attract strong interest but still have small gaps compared to fully saturated fields like Orthopedics.
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Key Takeaways for 2026 Applicants
- Primary‑Care Opportunity: Family Medicine left 805 and Internal Medicine 357 spots unfilled—flexible applicants can capitalize.
- IMG‑Friendly Paths: Internal Medicine, Pathology, Neurology, and Anesthesiology consistently welcome IMGs—secure U.S. experience to stand out.
- Surgery Remains Ultra‑Competitive: Plastic Surgery, Orthopedics, and Neurosurgery filled virtually every slot, driving competition among those aiming to become highly paid doctors.
- EM’s Comeback: With only 65 spots unfilled, Emergency Medicine is making a comeback—apply broadly if it’s on your radar.
Choosing a specialty is more than matching statistics—it’s aligning your passions, skills, and long‑term goals with programs where you can thrive. Use these insights to guide a thoughtful application strategy, leaning on mentorship, reflection, and timely preparation. When you’re ready for tailored support, The Match Guy team stands ready to help transform your preparation into a successful Match Day.
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