Five Year Analysis IMG Residency Match Statistics for 2017-2021

How Many US IMGs Match Compared with Non-US IMGs?

When we break the data down to distinguish between US IMGs and non-US IMGs, we can see that US IMGs are slightly more likely to match than non-US IMGs. Last year 59.5% of US IMGs matched compared with 54.8% of non-US IMGs, a larger disparity than previous years.

One potential reason for this is that not every residency program has the experience or willingness to sponsor residents who need a visa. Therefore, IMGs who need visa sponsorship should make sure to apply to programs that are willing to assist with this.

However, non-US IMGs make up a larger percentage than US IMGs of the total number of IMGs matching each year. In 2021, non-US IMGs represented 58.0% of PGY1 residents, whereas US IMGs made up 42.0%. These percentages stayed relatively steady over the past five years.

Which Countries Do Most Visa Recipients Come From?

Canada and India were by far the most common countries of origin for IMGs receiving J-1 visas in 2020, with approximately 2,500 physicians from each country. Pakistan was the third most common country of origin, with about half as many visa recipients. Roughly half of all exchange visitor physicians came from one of these three countries.

Jordan, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia each had about 400 IMGs who earned J-1 visas in 2020, followed by Egypt, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Nepal with 200 to 300 physicians from each country.

The data from 2019 was similar, with Canada, India, and Pakistan leading with the most visa recipients. Colombia replaced Nepal as the 10th most common country of origin.

(Data from the document you provided)

Which States Do J-1 IMGs Most Commonly Train In?

New York is overwhelmingly the most common destination for IMGs, with 2,260 J-1 visa holders training in residency programs there in 2020. The next most common state for J-1 physicians to train in was Michigan, with 865 IMGs.

Most of the top 10 states for IMGs are clustered in the Northeast and Midwest, with a few outliers such as Texas and Florida. However, J-1 physicians train in 49 states throughout the US, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

(Data from ECFMG: https://www.ecfmg.org/resources/J-1-Sponsorship-Data-Infographic.pdf)

When deciding which programs to apply to, consider whether the program is located in a state with a strong track record of accepting IMGs. Of course, there are many factors that make a qualified candidate, including your USMLE scores, personal statement, letters of recommendation, and US clinical experience. However, many IMGs find that they have a better chance of matching in a state that’s known as IMG-friendly.

Which Specialties Have the Most IMGs?

The top specialty by far for IMGs is internal medicine, with 3,416 IMGs who matched in 2021. This means that 45.5% of IMGs who matched that year joined an internal medicine program. Family medicine was next with 1,224 IMGs, followed by pediatrics with 552.

After that, the top specialties differ between US IMGs and non-US IMGs. For US IMGs, the fourth most common specialty was psychiatry with 176 residents accepted, with emergency medicine coming in fifth with 143. For non-US IMGs, pathology was the fourth most common specialty with 231 residents, followed by neurology with 179.

Data from https://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/MRM-Results_and-Data_2021.pdf,

Does this mean that IMGs should only apply to these specialties? Not necessarily. Your interests and experience will obviously play a role, and a strong candidate will have more options. However, if you’re looking to narrow down which programs to apply to, it may help to consider which specialties are most IMG-friendly.