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Graduating Osteopathic Physicians Get Results of DO Match Day
[February 08, 2016]

Graduating Osteopathic Physicians Get Results of DO Match Day


Today 2,063 graduating osteopathic medical students successfully matched to osteopathic residencies, according to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). The other half of the Class of 2016 awaits the results of the MD Match, to be announced March 14.

While new osteopathic physicians (DOs) and medical doctors (MDs) work and train together, DOs currently may choose between two systems for their post-graduate education. Those selecting the DO Match frequently pursue careers in primary care, as evidenced by today's results.

  • Of the 3,050 current and recent graduates who participated in the AOA Intern/Resident Registration Program, 74% successfully matched for a total of 2,255 placements.
  • Primary care accounted for 50% of all matches with a total of 1,118 placements.
  • 77 applicants matched in obstetrics and gynecology, up from 74 matches in 2015.
  • 65 applicants matched into pediatrics, up 27% from last year.
  • Psychiatry matched 54 applicants, an increase of 31% from last year.
  • 118 applicants matched into orthopedic surgery, up 9% from last year.
  • 1,017 positions were filled in non-primary care specialties.

Osteopathic medicine is one of the fastest growing segments of health care, with one of every four incoming medical students attending an osteopathic medical school. To ensure the profession is helping meet the needs of rural and underserved areas, osteopathic medical schools are strategically located in areas where they can improve the overall health of the community.

Over the past decade, 12 states have more than doubled the number of DOs practicing in their communities. Today's match results will further address the need for physicians in communities lacking specialists and primary care doctors , said John Becher, DO, president of the American Osteopathic Association.

"These programs tend to attract young physicians who want to remain in the area after their residencies. Most physicians practice where they train, so ensuring that high-quality residencies are not centralized in well-served urban or academic areas is critical to providing access to care," Dr. Becher explained.





States that experienced greater than 50% growth in the number of DOs active in practice since 2010

      2015 Active DOs   % Change
Source (News - Alert): AOA Physician Masterfile, May 31, 2015. Virginia 1909 76.4%
South Carolina 777 65.0%
Utah 577 64.4%
Tennessee 1061 64.0%
North Dakota 98 60.7%
Kentucky 881 60.2%
South Dakota 173 54.5%
Wyoming 134 54.0%
Oregon 993 53.7%
North Carolina 1388 52.5%
Minnesota 847 51.8%
Washington 1417 51.4%

The American Osteopathic Association and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education are entering the second year of a five year transition to a single accreditation system for graduate medical education.

During the transition, graduating DOs may choose to participate in either match and MD graduates may apply to ACGME programs that have received osteopathic recognition. By July 2020, most DO and MD residents will join in a unified match, in which all participants can choose residency programs with an osteopathic focus.

About the AOA

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 123,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools; and has federal authority to accredit hospitals and other health care facilities. More information on DOs/osteopathic medicine can be found at www.osteopathic.org.


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