How do I choose my residency location?
Robert Miller
Updated on April 01, 2026
7 do’s and don’ts for choosing your residency program
- DO look at the quality of the faculty.
- DON’T pay attention to “perks” like nice call schedules, free parking and discounted housing.
- DO consider location.
- DO, if possible, speak to a resident from each year of the program to get an idea of the road ahead.
How many spots is residency?
The 2021 Main Residency Match was the largest in NRMP history. There were 38,106 total positions offered, the most ever, and 35,194 first-year (PGY-1) positions offered, an increase of 928 (2.7%) over 2020. The growth in positions was supported by continued growth in the number of Match-participating programs.
Can you get residency without match?
If you do not match, then you should participate in the Post-Match Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program ®(SOAP). SOAP is an opportunity for eligible residency candidates who go unmatched during the main residency match to apply to residency programs with unfilled positions.
How do you get a medical residency?
10 IMG Steps To Medical Residency in the USA
- Register with the USMLE®
- Pass the USMLE® Exams.
- Get Valuable Clinical Experience in the USA.
- Register with the AAMC®
- Pick your Residency Programs.
- Get your ECFMG® Token and Register with ERAS®
- Finalize Documentation and Submit ERAS® Application.
What’s the easiest residency to get into?
Getting into any residency program, regardless of the specialty, is no easy task….The 6 least competitive medical specialties are:
- Family Medicine.
- Pediatrics.
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
- Psychiatry.
- Anesthesiology.
- Emergency Medicine.
How many medical students do not match?
Typically, around 5% percent of U.S. allopathic medical school graduates experience the disappointment of not matching.
What percentage of medical students drop out?
So, what is the dropout rate for medical school? In a standard, single four-year program, that would put the medical school dropout rate at between 15.7 percent and 18.4 percent, confirms the AAMC.
What can an MD do without residency?
Non-Clinical Jobs in Medicine for Physicians Without a Residency or a License
- Medical Writing.
- Clinical Research Associate.
- Medical Science Liaison.
- Public Health Analyst/Epidemiologist.
- Medical Officer at the FDA.
- Pharmaceutical Research.
Where can I find list of residency programs?
InterviewLink (I-Link) shows members the residency programs that include interview feedback or previously scheduled interviews from candidates with Applicant Criteria similar to your own. See a program you like? Don’t forget to Bookmark the program for future reference.
How to swap residency spots on residentswap.org?
Both sign up on ResidentSwap.org and specify that they would like to be notified of spots within 40 miles of each other. Two weeks later, a 1st year pediatric spot opens in New York City. After another week, a 3rd year orthopedics spot opens in Westchester, NY (e.g. someone who wants to swap places with Bob).
How can I get the best residency support?
Get superior residency support. The professional Support Team will answer any of your residency questions. Match A Resident’s unique algorithm generates the most compatible residency programs in the 18 most IMG-Friendly Residency Specialties – all accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Why are there so many vacancies in residency programs?
Vacancies arise throughout the year due to residents resigning or being terminated, incoming residents not starting because of visa or medical issues, program expansions, new programs coming into existence, or programs not filling their spots. View the Summary of Currently Posted Openings. Consider the following common problem:
