Is Pediatrics IMG Friendly?

Learn if Pediatric Residency Programs are IMG Friendly.

Yes, Pediatric Residency Programs are very IMG Friendly! In 2022 544 IMGs matched into Pediatrics and it was in the top five of IMG Friendly Residency Programs for both US and Non-US IMGs.

The term “IMG-friendly” typically refers to the level of difficulty for international medical graduates (IMGs) to match into a residency program in a particular specialty or field.

Pediatrics is generally considered to be a more IMG-friendly specialty compared to some other highly competitive specialties like neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, and dermatology. This is because pediatrics typically has a higher number of residency positions available, and there is less competition for those positions compared to some other specialties. Additionally, pediatrics tends to place an increased emphasis on factors like communication skills, empathy, and patient-centered care, which can be areas of strength for some IMGs.

However, it is worthwhile to note that competition for residency positions in pediatrics can still be high. This is because there are other factors that can impact an IMG’s ability to match into a pediatrics program, such as their academic performance, USMLE scores, and clinical experience. It is always a smart idea for IMGs to research the specific requirements and preferences of the programs they are interested in. In addition, they should seek guidance from mentors and advisors throughout the residency application process.

Pediatric Residency Program FAQs

Overall for IMG Matching, there was a 61.4 percent match rate for U.S. citizen IMGs, an increase of 1.9 percentage points over 2021, and a 58.1 percent match rate for non-U.S. citizen IMGs at an increase of 3.3 percentage points.

For U.S. citizen students and graduates of international medical schools (“U.S. IMG”), the top five specialties were:
 Internal Medicine (Categorical) (1,162)
 Family Medicine (777)
 Pediatrics (231)
 Psychiatry (188)
 Emergency Medicine (176)
For non-U.S. citizen students and graduates of international medical schools (“Non-U.S. IMG”), the top five specialties
were:
 Internal Medicine (Categorical) (2,545)
 Family Medicine (457)
 Pediatrics (375)
 Pathology (212)
 Neurology (200)

In 2022 there where 81 Unfilled Pediatric Residency Positions in the Match

As of March 2023, there are 213 ACGME Accredited Pediatric Residency Programs in the United States.

New Pediatric Residency Programs

In 2022-2023 [3204100001] St Luke’s Hospital – Anderson Campus Program received its initial accreditation as a New Pediatric Residency Program

In 2021-2022 Three New Pediatric Residency Programs received their initial Accreditation

[3204100001] St Luke’s Hospital – AndersonCampus Program

[3201500001] Full Circle Health (Boise) Program

[3202500001] Central Michigan University College of Medicine Program

Conclusion

A review of Match statistics clearly shows that Pediatrics is IMG Friendly but applicants must build their application on the Double Q’s Qualitative and Quantitative factors to ensure their application is competitive. Quantitative- Scores. Qualitative, High-quality IMG Externships with top teaching faculty, Professional Documentation, and submission of your application to the right residency programs and then seal the deal with Interview Preparation

If you are an IMG committed to matching into Pediatrics, IMGPrep will provide you the 1:1 Personalized guidance to succeed.

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IMGPrep is a leading educational consulting firm dedicated to assisting IMGs in reaching their goals, dreams, and potential. Check out our other Articles and learn more about IMGPrep services at: www.IMGPrep.com.

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