EM Match Advice 47: 2025 EM Match By The Numbers

The Emergency Medicine (EM) Match process continues to evolve, with the specialty experiencing significant shifts in recent years. In this 47th installment of the EM Match Advice podcast series, Dr. Sara Krzyzaniak (Stanford EM PD) hosts the annual program director reflection on the Match with Dr. Abra Fant (Northwestern EM PD), who returns for her fourth consecutive year to share insights on the NRMP Match trends and data. 

Podcast Episode: EM Match by the Numbers

Tables: EM Match by the Numbers

Key 2025 Match Statistics: A Clear Improvement

Significant Reduction in Unfilled Positions

The most notable trend in the 2025 EM match is the continued reduction in unfilled positions:

• 65 (2%) unfilled positions in 2025, down from 135 (4%) unfilled positions in 2024
• This continues the positive trend from the peak of 554 (18%) unfilled positions in 2023

Dr. Fant notes this represents a faster-than-expected recovery: “I think we all suspected we would recover as a specialty, but looking at other specialties that have gone through similar roller coasters, I think this recovery has been more rapid than potentially others anticipated.”

Program and Position Growth

The 2025 match showed stable program numbers with modest growth in positions:

• 292 EM programs in 2025, unchanged from 2024
• 3,068 total positions offered, up slightly from 3,026 in 2024
• 3,753 total applicants to EM in 2025, up slightly from 3,574 in 2024

Applicant Demographics Remain Stable

The composition of the EM applicant pool remained relatively consistent year-over-year:

• 1,514 US MD seniors (40% of applicants)
• 1,231 DO seniors (33% of applicants)
• The remaining 27% comprised IMGs and other applicant types

Fill Rates by Applicant Type

The distribution of positions filled by different applicant types remained stable:

• 1,377 positions filled by US MD seniors (45% of filled positions)
• 1,078 positions filled by DO seniors (35% of filled positions)
• 446 positions filled by US IMGs (15% of filled positions)
• The fill rate for EM positions was 98% overall

Factors Driving Success in the EM Match

Several key factors contribute to the improved Match results and program director priorities:

1. Realistic interview and ranking practices
2. Effective use of preference signals
3. Better distribution of interviews 
4. Geographic considerations
5. Demonstrated interest in Emergency Medicine

Looking Ahead: Changes on the Horizon

Several significant changes are coming to EM education and the application process:

• Proposed Resident Review Committee (RRC) program requirements: New RRC requirements were announced right around rank list certification day, which could significantly impact the upcoming match cycle.
• Transition to ResidencyCAS system: The specialty is moving from ERAS to ResidencyCAS, representing substantial shift to an entirely new platform to manage applications, interviews, and communications.

Despite these upcoming changes, Dr. Fant remains optimistic: “Overall this is a really positive outlook for applicants to emergency medicine in the upcoming 2025-26 Match cycle.”

“EM is one of the best specialties. It has been for many years and we have overcome plenty of roadblocks. We hope that you will join our ranks.”

Read and Listen to the Other EM Match Advice Episodes

Blog posts: https://www.aliem.com/em-match-advice-series/