Pediatrics sets record for most residency positions filled in Match
Key takeaways:
- More residents matched to pediatric positions in 2025 than ever.
- Interest in pediatrics has grown 20% since 2009.
A record-breaking 3,043 residents matched to pediatric positions in the 2025 Main Residency Match, according to the National Resident Matching Program.
Out of 3,193 total spots — 54 more than were offered last year — 95.3% of pediatric positions were filled this year compared with 91.8% of pediatric positions last year, according to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
“I’m so excited that we had such a great match rate for pediatric residencies,” said Hansa Bhargava, MD, Healio’s chief clinical strategy and innovation officer. “Pediatrics is a truly important specialty, as we as pediatricians have the ability to affect a lifelong trajectory of well-being. From taking care of babies, to young athletes, to the mental well-being of adolescents, there is so much work to do.”
Bhargava said developmental pediatrics and pediatric neurology are specialties that need more physicians.
“These experts are instrumental in treating issues that can affect brain function, cognition and school performance,” she told Healio. “Additionally, with the mental health crisis, adolescent medicine and understanding mental health is crucial.”
According to NRMP data, child neurology and pediatric psychology/child psychology filled 185 (94.9%) and 29 (100%) positions this year, respectively. Other subspecialties that filled 100% of open positions include pediatric emergency medicine (eight), pediatric anesthesiology (seven) and pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation (five), an AAP news story highlighted.
Out of 398 pediatric internal medicine positions, 395 (99.2%) were filled on match day this year, according to NRMP data. Primary pediatrics filled 55 of 58 spots, pediatric medical genetics filled 27 of 28 spots and preliminary pediatrics filled 23 of 25 spots, data showed.
According to the NRMP, 20.4% of categorical pediatric positions were filled by non-U.S. citizen international medical graduates — a 2-percentage point increase from last year.
Although internal medicine and pediatrics saw increased fill rates this year compared with last year, family medicine saw a decrease from 87.8% to 85%, which the NRMP said is due to an extra 144 family medicine positions added this year.
According to an AAP news story, interest in pediatrics has grown 20% in the last 15 years. In 2009, 3,220 residents went into primary and combined pediatric specialties, and in 2023, that number grew to 3,862, the AAP noted.
“To make sure we continue this momentum and have the right pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists available to care for children in all parts of the country, we must do the work to create infrastructure to support them,” AAP President Susan J. Kressly, MD, FAAP, said in a statement issued by the AAP.
“For the future pediatricians out there, congratulations and welcome to our club,” Bhargava said. “It is a wonderful journey — enjoy it.”
References:
- 2025 main residency match by the numbers. https://www.nrmp.org/match-data/2025/03/match-by-the-numbers-2025-main-residency-match/. Accessed March 24, 2025.
- National Resident Matching Program Releases the 2025 Main Residency Match Results, Celebrates the Next Generation of Physicians. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-resident-matching-program-releases-the-2025-main-residency-match-results-celebrates-the-next-generation-of-physicians-302408136.html. Published March 21, 2025. Accessed March 24, 2025.
- Pediatrics marks milestone in 2025 match with largest number of residency positions filled. https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/31676. Published March 21, 2025. Accessed March 24, 2025.
- Statement from AAP President Dr. Sue Kressly: A milestone match day for pediatrics. https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2025/statement-from-aap-president-dr.-sue-kressly-a-milestone-match-day-for-pediatrics. Published March 21, 2025. Accessed March 25, 2025.
- The Match National Resident Matching Program. Advance data tables 2025. https://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Advance_Data_Tables_2025.pdf. Published March 21, 2025. Accessed March 25, 2025.