Data from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) for the 2026 appointment-year fellowship Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match shows continued high rates of matches and fills, as well as increases in participation by both physicians and training programs.
The NRMP recently released in-depth information on the physicians filling positions in the Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match, which is the largest of the 22 fellowship matches it manages as part of its Specialties Matching Service. The Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match includes participation from programs in 40 subspecialties in internal medicine, pediatrics, addiction medicine and multidisciplinary specialties such as allergy/immunology, hospice and palliative medicine, and sleep medicine.
“The 2025 Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match underscores continued interest in and importance of subspecialty training in meeting the complex health care needs of patients nationwide,” NRMP President and CEO Donna L. Lamb, DHSc, said in a statement.
NRMP data shows that 8,526 residents (78.7%) matched into fellowship training positions for the 2026 appointment year, a drop of 2.4 percentage points from last year. Of the positions offered, 85.7% were filled, down 0.5 percentage points from 2024. Physician-applicant participation, however, grew to 10,840, up 586 over last year’s figures, with an additional 213 obtaining positions compared to 2024.
Across all subspecialties, 3,777 program tracks submitted certified rank-order lists, up 68 over the previous year. “Certified” status indicates program directors have finalized the rank-order lists, which are then ready to be processed by the matching algorithm. The programs collectively offered 9,950 positions, an increase of 301 positions over 2024.
Resident physicians interested in applying to fellowship programs should consult FREIDA™, the AMA Residency and Fellowship Database®, which offers users the opportunity to explore more than 7,300 fellowship programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Users can narrow their search by location (list or map view), application information, benefits and special tracks.
Not matching
About 89% of U.S. MD applicants seeking fellowships were able to match, along with 78% of U.S. DO applicants, 70% of non-U.S. citizen international medical graduates (IMGs) and 65% of U.S. citizen IMGs. For those not matching, such a setback may be disappointing, but John Andrews, MD, urged perspective on the issue.
“By definition, people who are applying for fellowship are knowledgeable physicians,” said Dr. Andrews, vice president of graduate medical education innovations at the AMA. “They will have many opportunities to practice medicine in a variety of settings. To not match to a specific subspecialty training program may lead them to try to match again in a different year or find a different way to apply their skills. Not matching may limit your options to work in a highly specialized area, but you still have those skills as a physician to use in so many ways.”
Learn more with the AMA about how resident physicians can bolster their fellowship Match qualifications, and find out the top factors that fellowship program directors look for in fellowship applicants.
High fill rates
The 2025 Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match included 18 subspecialties of internal medicine, with 2,296 programs offering 6,721 positions. Of that number, 88.8%, or 5,971 positions, were filled, a decrease of 1 percentage point over the previous year’s figures.
Of the internal medicine subspecialties that offered at least 150 positions, some of those with the highest fill rates included:
- Cardiovascular disease—1,347 positions, 100% filled.
- Clinical cardiac electrophysiology—150 positions, 98% filled.
- Gastroenterology—759 positions, 99.5% filled.
- Hematology and oncology—809 positions, 99.5% filled.
- Rheumatology—302 positions, 99% filled.
- Pulmonary/critical care—844 positions, 98.8% filled.
The fellowship Match included 17 pediatric subspecialties, with 925 programs offering 1,969 positions, of which 78.3%, or 1,542 positions, were filled, an increase of 0.8 percentage points over the previous year.
Of the pediatric subspecialties that offered at least 100 positions, some of those with the highest fill rates included:
- Pediatric cardiology—194 positions, 98.5% filled.
- Pediatric gastroenterology—124 positions, 96% filled.
The Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match included three multidisciplinary specialties—those that include training from a variety of specialties—allergy/immunology, hospice and palliative medicine, and sleep medicine. In that category, 403 programs offered 877 positions, of which 87% were filled, a decrease of 0.4 percentage point from last year. Allergy and immunology, with 177 positions offered, had a 98.9% fill rate.
U.S. MDs most common for matched applicants
In the 2,296 certified internal medicine fellowship programs, 80.9% were filled, and 19.1% were unfilled, which means that at least one of its available positions went unfilled. Of the 6,721 individual positions, 88.8% were filled and 11.2% were unfilled.
Of the physicians matched in internal medicine, the applicants were:
- U.S. MDs—43.9%.
- Non-U.S. citizen IMGs—28.4%.
- U.S. DOs—14.8%.
- U.S. citizen IMGs—12.8%.
- Canadian—0.1%.
Of the 8,085 applicants who preferred internal medicine subspecialties, 73.8% matched to internal medicine subspecialties, 0.3% matched to a different specialty group and 25.9% did not match to any program.
In the certified pediatric programs, 65.1% were filled and 34.9% were unfilled. Of the 1,969 positions in pediatric programs, 78.3% were filled and 21.7% went unfilled.
Of the physicians matched in pediatric programs, the applicants were:
- U.S. MDs—58.7%.
- U.S. DOs—17.5%.
- Non-U.S. citizen IMGs—14.7%.
- U.S. citizen IMGs—9.1%.
Of the 1,614 applicants who preferred pediatric programs, 95.4% matched to a pediatric program, none matched to a different specialty group and 4.6% did not match to any program.
In the 403 certified multidisciplinary programs, 81.6% were filled and 18.4% went unfilled. Of the 877 positions, 87% were filled and 13% were unfilled.
Of the physicians matched in multidisciplinary programs, the applicants were:
- U.S. MDs—54.4%.
- U.S. DOs—20.7%.
- Non-U.S. citizen IMGs—12.1%.
- U.S. citizen IMGs—12.7%.
- Canadian—0.1%.
Of the 878 applicants who preferred multidisciplinary programs, 84.9% matched to a multidisciplinary program, 0.6% matched to a different specialty group and 14.6% did not match to any program.
In the 153 certified addiction-medicine programs, 51% were filled and 49% went unfilled. Of the 383 positions available, 65.3% were filled and 34.7% were unfilled.
Of the physicians matched in addiction medicine subspecialties, the applicants were:
- U.S. MDs—62.4%.
- U.S. DOs—16%.
- U.S. citizen IMGs—14%.
- Non-U.S. citizen IMGs—7.6%.
Of the 262 applicants who preferred addiction-medicine fellowship programs, 95% were matched to one, none were matched to a different specialty group and 5% did not match to any program.
