Recent Ultrasound Fellowship Match Data and Statistics, Looking Back at a Five-Year Trend

Trent T. She, MD, FACEP
Hartford Hospital, University of Connecticut
Sandy Werner, MD, FPD-AEMUS, FACEP
MetroHealth Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University
Di Coneybeare, MD, MHPE
Columbia University Medical Center, Vagelos School of Physicians and Surgeons
Alexis Salerno, MD, FACEP
University of Maryland, School of Medicine

Introduction

The ACEP Ultrasound Fellowship subcommittee presents the following data about ultrasound fellowship match rates over the course of the past 5 years. We also break down the data by region for your review. We note that fill rates have stayed relatively steady over the course of the past three years, down from their peak during the Covid-19 pandemic. We also note a steady rise in the number of certified ultrasound fellowships with a corresponding increase in the number of positions to match.

Overall Data (A Five-Year Summary)

2024 Summary Data

147 Certified Programs Comprising 252 Positions

65 Programs Filled, 82 Programs with Unfilled Spots (44.2% fill rate)

142 Positions Filled, 110 Positions Unfilled (56.3% fill rate)

2023 Summary Data

145 Certified Programs Comprising 253 Positions

60 Programs Filled, 85 Programs with Unfilled Spots (41.4% fill rate)

138 Positions Filled, 115 Positions Unfilled (54.5% fill rate)

2022 Summary Data

138 Certified Programs Comprising 233 Positions

69 Programs Filled, 69 Programs with Unfilled Spots (50% fill rate)

151 Positions Filled, 82 Positions Unfilled (64.8% fill rate)

2021 Summary Data

135 Certified Programs Comprising 218 Positions

88 Programs Filled, 47 Programs with Unfilled Spots (65.2% fill rate)

155 Positions Filled, 63 Positions Unfilled (71.1% fill rate)

2020 Summary Data

127 Certified Programs Comprising 196 Positions

101 Programs Filled, 26 Programs with Unfilled Spots (79.5% fill rate)

160 Positions Filled, 36 Positions Unfilled (81.6% fill rate)

Figure 2. Overall position fill rate 2020-2024

Regional Trends: A Three-Year Breakdown

The ACEP Ultrasound Fellowship subcommittee also presents the previous data split by regions featuring positions. Programs were categorized into one of the following four region nationally:

Northeast Region

Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, District of Columbia

South Region

Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia

Midwest Region

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin

West Region

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

Table 1. Regional variation in ultrasound fellowship position offerings and matches for the past three years.

Figure 3. Regional variations over the past three years represented graphically