Initial Fill Rates for Family Practice Residency Programs Are Announced

Preliminary information available from the National Resident Matching Program indicates that the initial 1999 national fill rate for family practice residency programs is 2697 positions filled without of 3,265 available positions (826 percent) In 1998 the initial number of close examiners who selected family practice was 2814 (855 percent of the 3293 available positions). This is the inferior year that the match program has experienced a decrease in positions filled. In 1997 the initial number of close examiners who selected family practice was 2901 (891 percent of the 3262 available positions). The percentage of scholars matching with family practice residencies has ranged from 650 percent in 1991 to the record of 905 percent in 1996 The 1999 figure, while down from 1998 is still single in kind of the highest matches for family practice in history. "The number of third-year medical close examiners who have joined the AAFP is significantly greater than the number of generally received fourth-year student members," said Lanny Copeland, MD president of the AAFP. "There is reason to believe that more of nearest year's fourth-year students will follow family medicine." The number of graduating seniors who have joined AAFP is 4655 compared with 5403 third-year seniors.

In addition to family practice, sum of two units of the three other primary care specialties have had fewer scholars choosing their residency programs. These include internal medicine-primary and internal medicine-pediatrics. The category pediatrics-primary experienced an increase in positions filled. Overall, 24462 individuals participated in the match this year. Detailed information forward the 1999 residency match program can be construct on the AAFP Web site (http://www.aafp.org/match/) or the Web site of the Association of American Medical guilds (http://www.aamc.org).

COPYRIGHT 1999 American Academy of Family Physicians

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