The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) announced that among the annual National Residents Matching Program candidates, 75% of applicants interested in adult rheumatology and 96% of those interested in pediatric rheumatology were matched with 2023 fellowship programs. The outcome represented a need to expand openings in rheumatology fellowship training—especially among adult rheumatology programs, which reported filling 97.8% of their slots. In contrast, the ACR noted that pediatric rheumatology programs—which filled only 62.8% of their slots—may benefit from increased interest through additional exposure and mentorship within pediatric rheumatology specialties, shortened periods of required training, and heightened compensation for pediatric specialists. Further, the ACR highlighted the need for more adult rheumatology fellowships to be made available in underserved communities in order to match a larger percentage of applicants. With future Match Day programs, the College expects to build exposure, interest, and program availability for aspiring rheumatology specialists in the coming years. “[A]ny increase in the number of available fellowship positions is likely to continue to directly affect the future physician workforce within rheumatology,” concluded Beth Marston, MD, Chair of the ACR’s Committee on Training and Workforce issues.
May 18, 2023