Application Inflation for Internal Medicine Applicants in the Match: Drivers, Consequences and Potential Solutions

Since at least 2010, seniors from US allopathic medical schools have been applying to an increasing number of residency programs in nearly every specialty with each successive year. Medical school advisors and deans have witnessed this increase in applications when advising fourth-year students; it has become problematic for residency program leaders as they attempt to meet the growing demand for interviews for and applicant placement into their programs. The increase in applications has been documented by the Electronic Residency Application Service. Between 2010 and 2015, the average number of Electronic Residency Application Service applications for all categories of individual applicants applying to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited residencies increased from 65 to 79. The average number of applications per international medical graduate increased from 97 to 120, whereas the average number of applications per US allopathic graduate increased from 37 to 47 applications. Here, Pereira et al examine the factors underlying this increase in applications.