Adult rheumatology had a 99% fill rate for its 302 certified positions in the 2025 Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match, slightly higher than last year’s fill rate of 97.7% for adult rheumatology, according to new data from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Only three of the certified positions went unfilled.

The fill rate was also higher than the 88.8% fill rate overall for the 18 internal medicine subspecialties included in this year’s Match. Overall, 2296 training programs in the subspecialties offered 6721 positions.

Rheumatology was one of only six of the subspecialties to offer at least 150 certified positions and fill more than 98% of them. The other five were cardiovascular disease (1347 certified positions; 100% fill rate), clinical cardiac electrophysiology (150 certified positions; 98% fill rate), gastroenterology (759 certified positions; 99.5% fill rate), hematology and oncology (809 certified positions; 99.5% fill rate), and pulmonary/critical care (844 certified positions; 98.8% fill rate).

The breakdown of rheumatology applicants this year was as follows: US citizen international medical graduates (IMGs, 13.4%), non-US citizen IMGs (35.5%), MD graduates (34.8%), and DO graduates (16.4%).

Among the 371 applicants who preferred adult rheumatology, 295 matched to rheumatology, five matched to other specialties, and 71 did not match to any program.

Fewer Than Half of the Pediatric Rheumatology Programs Filled

Pediatric rheumatology programs, however, continued to struggle. Only 14 (42.4%) of the 33 certified pediatric rheumatology programs were filled in the Match. This is a notable drop from 2023, when pediatric rheumatology filled 21 of 38 programs (55%).

However, all 24 applicants who preferred pediatric rheumatology matched to that specialty this year, giving a fill rate of 54.5% for the 44 total positions offered. That was a higher position fill rate than last year’s 49% (27 of 55).

Among subspecialties in this year’s Match, 2296 program tracks offered 6721 certified positions. Of those, 5971 filled, and that 88.8% fill rate represented a one-percentage-point drop from the previous year.

Other highlights:

• This year, there were 4618 graduates of MD medical schools in the Match, nine more than last year. Of those, 4096 (89%) matched to a position, 34 fewer than in 2024.
• Among DO schools, there were 1728 graduates, 187 more than last year. Of those, 1351 (78%) matched, 133 more than the previous year.
• US citizen IMGs numbered 1593, 41 more than last year. Of those, 1038 (65%) matched, four fewer than in 2024.
• In this year’s Match, there were 2892 non-US citizen IMGs, an increase of 359 from 2024. Of those, 2033 (70%) matched, up 128 from 2024.

“The 2025 Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match underscores continued interest in and importance of subspecialty training in meeting the complex healthcare needs of patients nationwide,” Donna L. Lamb, DHSc, MBA, NRMP president and CEO, said in a press release.

Marcia Frellick is an independent, Chicago-based healthcare journalist and a regular contributor to Medscape Medical News.