Record number of DOs secure residency positions through NRMP Match
CHICAGO, March 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Breaking a new record for osteopathic residency placements on Match Day, the American Osteopathic Association is pleased to announce a total of 8,049 osteopathic (DO) medical students and graduates matched into postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) training programs today through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Match. This all-time high total reflects a 92.6% match rate for the 8,392 DO seniors who participated, an increase of .3% from 2024. DO candidates matched into a wide spectrum of residency programs spanning 40 specialties, demonstrating the strong value that osteopathic physicians contribute across all areas of medicine.
Candidates who do not secure a residency position through the NRMP Match have the option to participate in the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), through which programs offer unfilled positions to eligible unmatched or partially matched applicants. In addition, a small number of medical students and graduates were previously placed into programs through smaller matches, including the Urology Match and the San Francisco Match. Final placement numbers will be available in May. In 2024, DO seniors achieved the highest final placement rate of all applicant types, including MDs and international medical graduates.
"We are ecstatic to see that our osteopathic medical students and graduates are being actively sought out by residency programs in every specialty across the practice of medicine," said AOA President Teresa A. Hubka, DO, FACOOG (Dist.), CS, who has practiced as an osteopathic gynecologist and obstetrician for more than three decades. "Their success is a testament to the remarkable quality of our osteopathic education and training, and the distinctive skills and philosophy we bring to patient care."
Reflecting the profession's strong commitment to producing frontline physicians focused on providing care for underserved populations, a total of 4,098 DO seniors matched into primary care programs, including family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. The remaining 3,675 osteopathic medical students matched into placements across a broad range of specialties, demonstrating the continued expansion of osteopathic medicine across every facet of medical practice.
DO seniors represent more than one third of the total-filled PGY1 positions in the following specialties: physical medicine and rehabilitation, emergency medicine and family medicine. In addition, DO seniors matched into 20% of PGY1 positions in psychiatry, pediatrics (categorical), transitional (PGY-1 only), and obstetrics and gynecology.
"With a strong focus on providing comprehensive frontline care, this next generation of DO residents will play a critical role in helping to address the projected physician shortage expected to severely impact our nation's health care infrastructure over the next decade," said AOA CEO Kathleen S. Creason, MBA. "We could not be prouder of all they've achieved and have no doubt they will make a tremendous impact on the future of medicine."
Both DOs and MDs complete four years of medical school, followed by residency training focused on a specialized area of medicine. DOs receive additional training in the body's musculoskeletal system and approach the practice of medicine using a philosophy focused on whole-person care.
Top-matched specialties
The following list outlines the top 15 specialties matched into by DO seniors:
About the AOA
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 197,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; and serves as the primary certifying body for DOs. To learn more about DOs and the osteopathic philosophy of medicine, visit https://findado.osteopathic.org.
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SOURCE American Osteopathic Association