The National Resident Matching Program said about 14,700 seniors in U.S. medical schools applied for residency programs, the highest number in almost two decades. Students at U.S. medical schools made up about 60% of the applicants; the remainder were graduates of foreign medical schools or osteopathic schools. A record 22,221 residency positions were filled on Match Day, the annual rite of passage that links medical-school seniors to their next step in training as physicians. The NRMP uses a computer algorithm to match applicants' preferences with the preferences of residency programs.
This was the first year residency programs were required to disclose in advance the contracts applicants would be expected to sign. "With the amendments to this year's match, students will be able to make a more informed decision about their choice of residency program, including actual salary, benefits and the ability to negotiate contract details," said Brian Palmer, president of the American Medical Student Association, which lobbied for the changes. -- by Michael Romano
