Osteopathic Medical Students Find Residency in Record Numbers

Final numbers show a 99.5 percent placement rate

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Bethesda, MD) – Today the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) announced that an all-time high 7,776 graduating osteopathic medical (DO) students landed residency positions in 2023. This translates to a record 99.5 percent of graduating seniors finding placements.

“The entire osteopathic medical community is proud of our students’ commitment, tenacity and success,” said Robert A. Cain, DO, president and CEO of AACOM. “To achieve these numbers, even with a record number of medical students looking for placements, is a testament to our colleges of osteopathic medicine and to the abilities and talents of our students.”

These final placement numbers reflect all the avenues graduating students have for residency placement. While the March National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) had a record number of DOs matching, other opportunities for students to place include the Military Match, the San Francisco and Urology matches and the Supplemental Offer and Assistance Program (SOAP).

DO students were able to achieve these record numbers, even in the face of some serious barriers within some graduate medical education (GME) programs. According to NRMP data, 32 percent of residency program directors never or seldom interview DO candidates, and of those who do, at least 56 percent require the MD licensing exam, the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). DO students take the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA) for graduation and licensure. Both the COMLEX-USA and USMLE are accepted in all 50 states, yet many DO students are subjected to the financial and mental strain of taking a second exam.

“With our nation facing a massive physician shortage, these arbitrary and outdated obstacles should be torn down so DO students are able to apply for any residency opportunity,” said Dr. Cain.  “We continue to work with our peer organizations in the medical education community to end these practices creating unnecessary barriers for DO students.”

Along with constructive talks within the medical community, AACOM is supporting legislation introduced in Congress, the Fair Access in Residency (FAIR) Act, to help address this issue. This bipartisan bill would step up reporting requirements for residency programs receiving federal funds and require them to accept applications from all qualified medical students. For more information on AACOM, the 2023 Resident Report and the Fair Act, go to www.aacom.org.

About AACOM

Founded in 1898, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) is the leading voice for the education and training of physicians who practice osteopathic medicine in settings across the medical spectrum—from primary care to the full range of medical specialties. We support our member colleges of osteopathic medicine in their efforts to attract and train individuals who are fueled by a desire to make a difference in our healthcare system by treating the whole person and building a future emphasizing health and wellness for all people. Today, more than 35,000 future physicians—25 percent of all U.S. medical students—are being educated at one of our 38 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine, encompassing 62 teaching locations in 35 states. 

Contacts

Joseph Shapiro
Director of Media Relations
(240) 938-0746
jshapiro@aacom.org

Christine DeCarlo
Media and Public Affairs Senior Manager
(202) 603-1026
cdecarlo@aacom.org