NRMP SMS Nephrology Match for Appointment Year 2015

51% of Training Tracks Went Unfilled in AY 2015

On December 3, 2014, the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) released preliminary results of the Specialties Matching Service (SMS) Match for Appointment Year (AY) 2015 (see Table 1). At first glance the results continue the recent trend for declining interest in nephrology careers, with 51% of training tracks (68 of 134, Figure 1) and 32% of positions (120 of 374, Figure 2) going unfilled. This represents a 6.3% and 23.7% increase in the number of unfilled training tracks and unfilled positions, respectively, in just 1 year. Of note, the number of training tracks withdrawn from this year’s Match doubled over 2014, from 9 to 19.

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Figure 1: Unfilled Programs in Nephrology Match

Figure 2: Unfilled Positions in Nephrology Match

In AY 2015, there were 0.68 applicants per nephrology fellowship position (Figure 3), a 55% decline in the span of 5 years. In AY 2015, nearly every nephrology applicant matched, for a 95.2% Match rate (Figure 4).

Figure 3: Applicants Per Position

Figure 4: Percentage of Applicants Preferring Nephrology Matched

Table 1

Nephrology Match Results—NRMP SMS
Appointment Years 2009–2015
Variable	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Positions Offered	367	374	380	397	416	403	374
Positions Filled	348	352	345	360	369	306	254
Percent Filled	94.8%	94.1%	90.8%	90.7%	88.7%	75.9%	67.9%
Training Tracks Offered	142	142	146	142	148	145	134
Training Tracks Unfilled	15	15	24	24	34	64	68
Total Applicants	578	576	510	446	421	323	254
U.S. Grads	149	139	97	102	100	91	79
Osteo	28	15	23	23	18	22	22
U.S. IMG	68	84	86	78	84	66	44
Non–U.S. IMG	331	336	301	242	217	142	107
Other	2	2	3	1	2	2	2