| |
May 2002
Volume 66 |
Number 5
|
| |
|
| National Residency
Matching Program Results for 2002: Excellent Results for Anesthesiology |
Alan W. Grogono, M.D.
This is the 10th in this series of annual spring updates about
results of the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) for
anesthesiology, and it confirms trends of the last few years.
Graduating medical students from U.S. allopathic schools are available
to fill the majority of the places offered, and most programs
filled every position offered via the NRMP. The return of interest
in anesthesiology has even been the subject of comment in a daily
newspaper: "…anesthesiology, a once-sleepy specialty
that has recently become U.S. medical students' most coveted field"
(Boston Globe, March 22, 2000).
NRMP Results [Table
1]
This year, a total of 1,112 were recruited via the NRMP
[Figure
1], a further 14-percent increase in recruitment
(21-percent last year and 22-percent in 2000). The number
of graduating U.S. allopathic seniors matching into anesthesiology
increased from 713 to 904, a 27-percent increase [Figure
2]. These 904 matching into anesthesiology represent
6.3 percent of the 14,335 U.S. senior students in the NRMP.
This is close to previous record highs that occurred in
1991 (6.7 percent) and 1992 (6.6 percent). During the years
1990 to 2001, the total number matching in all other categories
(non-U.S. allopathic seniors) increased from 64 to 260.
This year, the number fell to 208 (20-percent decrease),
the first appreciable decrease since 1990
[Figure 3].
Positions Offered and Unfilled
The total number of positions offered via the NRMP increased
to 1,169 (6-percent increase), still 16 percent below the
all-time high of 1,386 in 1993. The number of positions
unfilled fell to 57 (56-percent decrease), the fewest unfilled
for anesthesiology since the NRMP was introduced in its
present form [Figure
4].
Distribution of Recruits
[Table 2]
For five years, the number of osteopathic graduates matching into
anesthesiology had almost doubled every year. This year, however,
the number matching decreased from 107 to 89 (17-percent decrease);
the conspicuous increase appears to have been interrupted [Figure
5]. The number of non-U.S. international medical graduates
(IMG/Non-U.S.) has fallen from the high of 213 in 1997 and this
year has again fallen significantly from 79 to 47 (41-percent
decrease). The number of U.S. citizen international medical graduates
(IMG/U.S.) remains almost unchanged at 51. The other categories
make only minimal contributions to the total.
Regional Distribution [Table
3]
The NRMP data for the last five years has again been
compiled by state and ranked by the number recruited into
each state's residencies via the NRMP. For four years now,
California and New York have occupied the two top positions,
but this year New York has overtaken California. New York
has increased from 43 in 1998 to 136 this year (43 more
this year than last), while California only increased from
91 to 114 in the same five years (eight more this year than
last). Between them, these two states recruited 22 percent
of the total this year. Of the next three states, Texas
recruited 77 (an increase of 7), Pennsylvania 76 (an increase
of 11) and Massachusetts 65 (a decrease of 3). Between them,
the top five states recruited 468 (42 percent), and the
top 10 recruited 681 (61 percent). For four years in a row,
New York, California, Texas, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts
have occupied the top five positions but not in the same
sequence. Two-thirds of the states filled every position
that was offered in anesthesiology via the NRMP.
Distribution Between Schools and Programs
The enthusiasm for selecting anesthesiology shown by graduates
of a given medical school has shown little correlation with the
number recruited by the anesthesiology residency at the same institution.
With anesthesiology becoming one of the more popular specialties,
this year's data are examined to see whether this pattern has
altered.
[Table
4]
and [Table 5] show the
medical schools and residency programs recruiting the largest
and smallest numbers. Each table shows approximately one-fifth
of the total number of institutions. The two medical school
tables show schools in which either more than 10 students
("top") or fewer than two ("bottom")
selected anesthesiology. The two residency tables show programs
in which either more than 14 (top) or fewer than four (bottom)
were recruited.
Six institutions appear in both of the top lists, similar to
last year, and one institution appears in both bottom lists. However,
four of the schools in the bottom table are in the top table of
residencies, and three of the schools in the top table are in
the bottom table of residencies. This distribution suggests that
there continues to be little or no relationship between the size
of an anesthesiology residency program and the number of students
attracted into the specialty at that institution.
Comments
The recent increase in recruitment has continued and now approaches
the levels experienced in 1991 and 1992 when anesthesiology was
one of the most popular specialties. In 1992, the primary care
specialties (internal medicine, family practice and pediatrics)
between them attracted more than a third of graduating U.S. seniors.
The next three specialties (anesthesiology, general surgery and
obstetrics/gynecology) each attracted about one-fifteenth of the
graduates. The percentage recruited this year is close to this
level.
Such recruitment appears to be warranted by the widespread availability
of employment opportunities and the difficulty in attracting anesthesiologists.
Experience has taught us that future needs are not easily anticipated;
attempts to plan the future and control recruitment do not necessarily
achieve the desired outcome. There are, however, excellent reasons
to believe we should maintain our specialty's efforts to recruit.
They include the increasing surgery required by our aging population,
the willingness of anesthesiologists to retire early and the expected
increase in the numbers of nurse anesthetists retiring due to
the age distribution in their profession.
For the present, we should enjoy our popularity with medical
students and direct our efforts to attracting the strongest and
most talented graduating seniors into our specialty.
Web Site
Previous articles and additional information about the numbers
of students recruited into anesthesiology from each school and
the numbers recruited into and graduating from each residency
program are available at <www.grogono.com/nrmp>.
Acknowledgments
It is a pleasure to thank Liz Lostumbo of the NRMP for sending
the necessary data to me by e-mail. Her prompt response permits
the rapid production of this article. This article was prepared
primarily for publication in the ASA NEWSLETTER. I thank
the editor, Mark J. Lema, M.D., Ph.D., for his agreeing that it
may be simultaneously made available on the Web site.
Dr. Grogono's past NRMP articles have appeared in August 1993,
May 1994, June 1995, May 1996, May 1997, May 1998, May 1999, May
2000 and May 2001.
| |
|
Alan
W. Grogono, M.D., is former Chair and Meryl and Sam Israel
Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Tulane University
School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana. |
|
return to top
|