March 23, 2022
Download PDF of this Joint Statement
Each year, the National Resident Matching Program is an exciting, yet anxious time for those involved. Together, we enthusiastically welcome the 2,702 newly matched residents into the emergency medicine family and commit to supporting each of our nation’s future emergency physicians.
Coupled with our excitement is some concern regarding a few of the results from the 2022 Main Residency Match. While emergency medicine remains in the Top 10 for match rates, according to the NRMP, our specialty had 219 unfilled positions in the 2022 Match - a more than 7 percentage point increase from last year. (These numbers do not include the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), and complete data from that program will be available at a later date.)
Year
Applicants1
EM programs2
EM positions offered2
EM positions filled2
Unfilled2
2018
3,574
231
2,278
2,265
13 (0.6%)
2019
3,576
247
2,488
2,458
30 (1.2%)
2020
3,785
265
2,665
2,652
13 (0.5%)
2021
4,386
276
2,840
2,826
14 (0.5%)
2022
3,626
277
2,921
2,702
219 (7.5%)
1. From ERAS; 2. From NRMP
Outside of the deviation of 2021, the number of 2022 applicants appears in line with recent years. There were 81 more positions to fill in emergency medicine in 2022 than in 2021. This continues a pattern of significant and swift growth for the specialty – since 2018, emergency medicine has added 643 residency positions, an increase of 28.2 percent.
There are many factors that could be affecting applicant decision-making, including the continued risks in EM posed by COVID, recently released workforce projections, challenges of non-physician scope of practice, and the uncertain impact of ongoing corporatization and consolidation in medicine.
It is too early to tell if this year’s Match results are an anomaly or the beginning of a trend. The decline in the percentage of filled positions is being carefully considered by emergency medicine’s leadership. As of now, we simply cannot identify a singular cause for this year’s numbers with so many factors at play.
Our organizations are united in our vision for the future of emergency medicine. We continue working together to study changing workforce dynamics and will do everything we can to ensure careers for emergency physicians remain fulfilling. We have spent the last several months meeting with groups to discuss ways to rebalance the growth of residency programs and develop new opportunities in emergency medicine. Together, we will advocate strongly for the physicians we represent and ensure the best possible care for the more than one in three people who visit emergency departments in the United States each year.
Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine (AACEM)
American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM)
AAEM-Resident and Student Association (AAEM-RSA)
American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP)
Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine (CORD)
Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association (EMRA)
Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM)
SAEM-Residents and Medical Students (SAEM-RAMS)
