The following are excerpts from the AAMC news room press release. For detailed information click here.

Additional Match Day Highlights

According to the NRMP, 26,360 individuals participated in the Match this year, a slight increase from the 26,323 that participated last year. Of the total, 18,197, or 69 percent, were matched with a residency program, the same rate as last year. Eighty-eight percent of the positions available in the Match were filled, the highest rate in the past seven years. U.S. seniors filled residency positions at a rate of 66.3 percent, the highest percentage in the past 10 years.
  • In 1998, 93.5 percent of the 14,610 U.S. medical school seniors that participated in the Match received a first-year position, a slight increase over the 92.7 percent that matched last year. The number of U.S. seniors not receiving a match was 6.5 percent, the lowest percentage since 1989. This year, 79 percent of U.S. seniors matched to one of their first three choices for first-year programs, while 94 percent matched to first- and second-year programs.
  • This year 1,700 U.S. international medical school graduates (U.S. IMGs) matched at a rate of 45.5 percent, an increase from the 43.5 percent last year. U.S. IMGs are U.S. citizens who attend medical schools outside the United States and Canada. Since 1994, the number of U.S. IMGs participating in the Match has increased by 1,032.
  • The 7,957 international medical school graduates (non-U.S. IMGs) that participated this year matched at a rate of 31.4 percent, down from 34.5 percent in 1998. The 133 fewer IMG participants in this year s Match over 1997 represents the first drop in six years.
  • Anesthesiology programs experienced an increase in the number of first-year positions filled, from 62 percent last year to 71 percent in 1998. Also, there was an increase in the number of second-year anesthesiology positions filled, with U.S. seniors accounting for most of the increase.
  • Eighty-seven percent of all second-year diagnostic radiology positions were filled in the 1998 Match. This represents an increase of 14 percent over 1997 and is primarily due to a higher number U.S. seniors matching to the specialty. Additional data from the 1998 Match are available. To request further information, contact Darnell Privott, the AAMC Office of Communications, at 202-828-0551 or dprivott@aamc.org.



[1] The following is an abstract from Acad Med, 71(8):886-92 1996 Aug, Fowkes et al, available from Medline

"Evaluating the potential of international medical graduates as physician assistants in primary care."
    The need to increase the nation's primary care workforce, and the presence of large numbers of international medical graduates (IMGs) who encounter barriers to licensure as physicians, have led to consideration of ways that IMGs might practice as physician assistants (PAs).

    Several states have explored regulatory changes that would allow IMGs to obtain PA certification through equivalency mechanisms or accelerated educational programs. In California, surveys in 1980, 1993, and 1994 collected information about the interest and preparedness among IMGs seeking PA certification. These surveys revealed that few of the IMGs were interested in becoming PAs as a permanent career, and few could show a commitment to primary care of the underserved. Of the 50 IMGs accepted into California's PA programs in recent years, 62% had academic or personal difficulties. Only 34 IMGs became certified, and all accepted jobs in primary care specialties. Two preparatory programs in California have assessed the readiness of unlicensed IMGs to enter PA programs, and they have shown that the participants did not demonstrate knowledge or clinical skills equivalent to those expected of licensed PAs.

    Therefore, policymakers should not consider that IMGs are or can easily become the equivalent of PAs without additional professional training in accredited PA programs. Preparatory programs appear to lessen the barriers to PA training for a few IMGs. In times of scarce resources for training, however, these programs may not be the best use of public funds to increase the primary care workforce.



[2] The following abstract is from Clinician News 1(3):1, 18, 20 1997, available from Medscape

"Teaching IMGs to Practice as PAs"

    For the first time in the controversy over international medical graduates (IMGs) practicing as PAs, hard data confirm that these doctors--trained in other countries and looking to work as PAs in the United States--do not meet minimum standards of the profession. The results of a New York study clearly show that the knowledge base of these foreign-trained physicians is not sufficient to fast-track them through an accelerated PA course (so they can practice as PAs). Such proposals, say the study authors, clearly need to be rethought, and should not be muddied by arguments of racism and turf. Findings obtained using accepted scientific models, emphasize the researchers, underscore the need for caution.

    While the issue of IMGs' practicing as PAs seems to wax and wane over time, PAs and NPs should never be complacent. Government regulators and the public cannot be counted on to distinguish the IMGs' performance from other nonphysician providers when the IMGs are officially practicing as PAs. And this chilling possibility becomes more and more likely each day. As government officials seek to keep healthcare costs down and respond to demands of some constituents, IMGs offer a tempting solution to staffing needs and tight budgets.

    While state medical societies won't allow IMGs to practice as physicians without first passing the US medical licensing examination, some authorities are happy to dump IMGs into the PA profession on little more than a foreign institution diploma (see "A Dangerous Practice in Florida," page 22). The plan makes perfect bottom-line sense, except for one small problem: When these want-to-be doctors start making egregious medical decisions, the public won't take note of any fine distinctions. Instead, the headlines will read that nonphysician providers have become a real hazard to the public's health. No one will care that the PA and NP professions were not responsible for the IMGs' training; the allied health professions will be held accountable in a classic guilt-by-association media trial.
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