Summary:
- Plastic surgery is among the least IMG-friendly US medical specialties.
- However, many of the top plastic surgery programs have at least some IMGs.
- Some plastic surgery programs have a moderate number of IMGs, including Brown (17% IMGs) and Carilion (17% IMGs).
- In addition, some programs favor US IMGs while others prefer non-US IMGs.
- See the full list of searchable residency programs to strategize where IMGs have recently been the most welcome.
- Be sure to bookmark this page – and sign up for the newsletter – to keep up with the latest residency and USMLE trends and maximize your chances of matching.
Table of Contents
What is an IMG Again?
Let’s start with some definitions.IMG: International Medical Graduate
- You attended a medical school outside of the United States and Canada
US- vs. Non-US IMGs
IMGs consist of two sub-groups:- US-IMGs: US Citizens or permanent residents who attended a “foreign” medical school. Example: someone born in the US but went to a Caribbean medical school (a non-US school).
- Non-US IMGs: Non-US citizens or permanent residents who attended a “foreign” medical school. Example: someone born in South Korea, who does not have US citizenship or a green card, and who went to medical school in South Korea.
NRMP: “National Resident Matching Program®”
- The organization that administers the “Match.” In the Match, the NRMP pairs residency applicants with a residency program.
Plastic Surgery is Not IMG-Friendly
Looking at the percentage of spots filled by IMGs in the 2022 Match, we can see that plastic surgery is among the least IMG-friendly specialties. Only five specialties had a lower proportion of positions filled by IMGs.
Similarly, the match rate for IMGs in plastic surgery is among the lowest of all the specialties in the 2022 Match:
Here are the same data represented in a table:
| % Spots Filled by IMGs | % Spots Filled by US IMGs | % Spots Filled by non-US IMGs | Total Positions Offered | Total # All Applicants | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiology | 8% | 3% | 4% | 1,969 | 2,560 |
| Child Neurology | 15% | 4% | 11% | 188 | 182 |
| Dermatology | 3% | 1% | 1% | 544 | 834 |
| Diagnostic Radiology | 8% | 2% | 6% | 1,155 | 1,568 |
| Emergency Medicine | 7% | 6% | 1% | 2,921 | 2,813 |
| Family Medicine | 21% | 13% | 8% | 4,916 | 5,055 |
| General Surgery | 9% | 3% | 5% | 1,622 | 2,400 |
| Internal Medicine | 36% | 9% | 25% | 9,809 | 11,598 |
| Internal Medicine/Pediatrics | 5% | 2% | 2% | 392 | 458 |
| Interventional Radiology | 2% | 0% | 2% | 169 | 226 |
| Neurological Surgery | 8% | 1% | 7% | 240 | 379 |
| Neurology | 25% | 5% | 18% | 1,014 | 1,249 |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology | 5% | 2% | 3% | 1,503 | 2,044 |
| Orthopaedic Surgery | 2% | 1% | 1% | 875 | 1,435 |
| Otolaryngology | |||||
| Pathology | 41% | 7% | 31% | 631 | 827 |
| Pediatrics | 18% | 7% | 11% | 3,016 | 3,153 |
| Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | 6% | 2% | 3% | 532 | 725 |
| Plastic Surgery | 6% | 1% | 4% | 194 | 340 |
| Psychiatry | 15% | 7% | 6% | 2,047 | 2,560 |
| Radiation Oncology | 11% | 5% | 7% | 185 | 162 |
| Vascular Surgery | 7% | 0% | 7% | 84 | 143 |
The Most IMG-Friendly Plastic Surgery Residency Programs
While plastic surgery as a field is not very IMG-friendly, the same cannot be said of every plastic surgery residency program. For example, four plastic surgery residencies in the most recent GME census had IMG percentages of 10% or higher: Brown (17%), Carilion (17%), Oregon (13%) and Baylor (11%). Here is a list of the most (and least) IMG-friendly plastic surgery programs. It includes data from the most recent National GME Census Survey. Percentages are of all residents in the program in 2020.| ACGME residency program code | Residency program name | City | State | % residents IMG (US + Non-US) | % residents US-citizen IMGs | % residents non-US-citizen IMGs | % residents US MD graduates | % residents US DO graduates | Program consider applicants with J-1 visa? | Program consider applicants with H-1B visa? | Program consider applicants with F-1 Visa (OPT 1st year)? | # of positions offered (2021 NRMP Main Match) | # of positions (2021 NRMP Main Match) | # of applications submitted to this program in 2021 | % of applicants interviewed by the program in 2020 | Average hours/week in year one that resident works (excluding beeper call) | Maximum consecutive hours resident is allowed to work in year one (excluding beeper call) | Program allows residents (beyond PGY1) to moonlight? | % of training spent in year 1 in hospital outpatient clinics | % of training spent in year 1 in ambulatory nonhospital community-based settings | Average hours/week in year one of program spent in structured didactic activities (e.g., lectures, conferences) | Program curriculum includes a dedicated research rotation | Percentage of completed residents with non-academic U.S. practice career plans | Percentage of completed residents with plans to continue training in another program | Percentage of completed residents with plans to obtain a full-time or part-time academic position | Percentage of completed residents with other career plans | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3624300150 | Brown University Program | Providence | RI | 17 | 17 | 0 | 83 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 272 | 5.7 | 80 | 16 | No | 30 | 6 | OPT | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3625100154 | Carilion Clinic-Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Program | Roanoke | VA | 17 | 17 | 0 | 83 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 241 | 12.5 | 60 | 16 | No | 10 | 4 | OPT | 0 | 33 | 67 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624000148 | Oregon Health & Science University Program | Portland | OR | 13 | 13 | 0 | 88 | 0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 3 | 3 | 266 | 10.8 | 80 | 24 | No | 4 | REQ | 60 | 40 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624831099 | Baylor College of Medicine Program | Houston | TX | 11 | 0 | 11 | 89 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 3 | 3 | 279 | 9.3 | 80 | 16 | No | 25 | 5 | 3 | OPT | 33 | 67 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623600156 | University of North Carolina Hospitals Program | Chapel Hill | NC | 8 | 8 | 0 | 92 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 274 | 13.1 | 65 | 16 | No | 20 | 20 | 5 | NA | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624821130 | Texas A&M College of Medicine-Scott and White Medical Center (Temple) Program | Temple | TX | 8 | 0 | 8 | 92 | 0 | No | No | No | 2 | 2 | 251 | 10.8 | 60 | 24 | Yes | 50 | 0 | 6 | REQ | 25 | 75 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623300151 | Rutgers Health/New Jersey Medical School Program | Newark | NJ | 6 | 6 | 0 | 94 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 266 | 10.1 | 72 | 24 | No | 20 | 3 | NA | 20 | 80 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623500155 | NYU Grossman School of Medicine Program | New York | NY | 5 | 0 | 5 | 95 | 0 | Yes | No | Yes | 4 | 4 | 262 | 14 | 60 | 24 | No | 20 | 20 | 2 | NA | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3625621109 | University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Program | Madison | WI | 5 | 5 | 0 | 95 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 3 | 3 | 268 | 19.2 | 70 | 24 | No | 15 | 0 | 5 | REQ | 50 | 33 | 0 | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3621112140 | University of South Florida Morsani Program | Tampa | FL | 4 | 4 | 0 | 88 | 8 | Yes | 4 | 4 | 261 | 16.6 | 80 | 16 | No | 25 | 4 | NA | 0 | 0 | 83 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623800149 | Cleveland Clinic Foundation Program | Cleveland | OH | 4 | 0 | 4 | 87 | 9 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 4 | 4 | 286 | 13.4 | 75 | 16 | Yes | 15 | 3 | REQ | 20 | 40 | 0 | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624821097 | University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Program | Dallas | TX | 4 | 0 | 4 | 96 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 5 | 5 | 266 | 13.8 | 65 | 28 | No | 15 | 5 | NA | 14 | 57 | 29 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3620100001 | University of Alabama Hospital Program | Birmingham | AL | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | No | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3621100002 | Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Program | Jacksonville | FL | 0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 0 | 40 | 24 | No | 85 | 0 | 4 | REQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3621100159 | University of Miami/Jackson Health System Program | Miami | FL | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 265 | 12.5 | 60 | 24 | No | 20 | 20 | 5 | NA | 0 | 50 | 50 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3621200001 | Emory University School of Medicine Program | Atlanta | GA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2 | 2 | 272 | 7.8 | 80 | 16 | Yes | 40 | 20 | 3 | NA | 33 | 0 | 0 | 67 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3621600001 | University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago Program | Chicago | IL | 0 | Yes | No | No | 80 | 14 | No | 30 | 10 | 4 | OPT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3621600146 | University of Chicago Program | Chicago | IL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | Yes | 3 | 3 | 283 | 12.9 | 65 | 24 | No | 17 | 10 | 4 | REQ | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3621600147 | Loyola University Medical Center Program | Maywood | IL | 0 | Yes | No | No | 1 | 1 | 236 | 13.4 | 48 | 24 | No | 25 | 5 | NA | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623200001 | Dartmouth-Hitchcock/Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital Program | Lebanon | NH | 0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 | 1 | 239 | 10.2 | 65 | 24 | No | 20 | 3 | NA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623300152 | Cooper Medical School of Rowan University/Cooper University Hospital Program | Camden | NJ | 0 | Yes | No | No | 1 | 1 | 234 | 9.9 | 70 | 24 | No | 5 | 10 | 4 | REQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623400001 | University of New Mexico School of Medicine Program | Albuquerque | NM | 0 | Yes | No | No | 1 | 1 | 212 | 7.2 | 70 | 12 | No | 20 | 10 | 4 | REQ | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623500142 | Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Program | New Hyde Park | NY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | No | No | No | 3 | 3 | 262 | 11 | 70 | 16 | No | 5 | NA | 25 | 75 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623500145 | University of Rochester Program | Rochester | NY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 253 | 18.6 | 72 | 24 | No | 10 | 5 | 3 | OPT | 40 | 60 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623500152 | New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia and Cornell Campus) Program | New York | NY | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 270 | 11 | 65 | 16 | No | 25 | 10 | 3 | NA | 33 | 67 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623500154 | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Program | New York | NY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | 3 | 3 | 274 | 11.2 | 70 | No | 15 | 8 | NA | 0 | 60 | 20 | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623500157 | Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University Program | Bronx | NY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | Yes | No | 2 | 2 | 266 | 13.1 | 65 | 16 | No | 25 | 15 | 4 | NA | 50 | 50 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623500158 | Nassau University Medical Center/Stony Brook University Program | Garden City | NY | 0 | Yes | No | No | 1 | 1 | 236 | 12.8 | 72 | 24 | No | 10 | NA | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623521055 | Albany Medical Center Program | Albany | NY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 92 | 8 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 248 | 11.4 | 60 | 24 | No | 5 | 0 | 4 | REQ | 50 | 50 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623600155 | Duke University Hospital Program | Durham | NC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 3 | 3 | 281 | 9.6 | 65 | 16 | No | 21 | 10 | REQ | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623611074 | Wake Forest University School of Medicine Program | Winston-Salem | NC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 3 | 3 | 262 | 14.7 | 80 | 12 | No | 75 | 15 | 6 | REQ | 75 | 0 | 25 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623800144 | Wright State University Program | Dayton | OH | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 205 | 12.8 | 60 | 26 | Yes | 10 | 30 | 12 | REQ | 0 | 50 | 50 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623821081 | Ohio State University Hospital Program | Columbus | OH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 4 | 4 | 271 | 10.3 | 75 | 16 | No | 20 | 10 | 4 | REQ | 33 | 67 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3623821112 | University of Cincinnati Medical Center/College of Medicine Program | Cincinnati | OH | 0 | No | No | No | 1 | 1 | 238 | 7.1 | 72 | 24 | No | 10 | 5 | NA | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624100159 | University of Pennsylvania Health System Program | Philadelphia | PA | 0 | 3 | 3 | 273 | No | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624100161 | Lehigh Valley Health Network/University of South Florida College of Medicine Program | Allentown | PA | 0 | No | No | No | 1 | 1 | 223 | 8.9 | 78 | 24 | No | 5 | 5 | 5 | NA | 0 | 50 | 0 | 50 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624100162 | Geisinger Health System Program | Danville | PA | 0 | Yes | No | No | 1 | 1 | 212 | 9.2 | 70 | 24 | No | 20 | 5 | 3 | REQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624121087 | Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center Program | Hershey | PA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 262 | 10.8 | 75 | 16 | No | 20 | 10 | 5 | OPT | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624121090 | UPMC Medical Education Program | Pittsburgh | PA | 0 | 3 | 3 | 281 | No | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624500001 | Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine Program | Charleston | SC | 0 | Yes | No | No | 1 | 1 | 246 | 6.5 | 60 | 24 | No | 10 | 10 | 3 | NA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624500002 | Prisma Health/University of South Carolina SOM Columbia (Columbia) Program | Columbia | SC | 0 | No | No | No | 1 | 1 | 213 | 11.7 | 74 | 24 | No | 0 | 2 | REQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624700002 | Vanderbilt University Medical Center Program | Nashville | TN | 0 | Yes | Yes | No | 1 | 1 | 267 | 50 | 30 | No | 10 | 2 | OPT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624800001 | University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Program | Houston | TX | 0 | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624811098 | University of Texas Medical Branch Hospitals Program | Galveston | TX | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 4 | 4 | 253 | 19.1 | 56 | 24 | No | 20 | 5 | OPT | 25 | 50 | 13 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3624900001 | University of Utah Health Program | Salt Lake City | UT | 0 | Yes | No | No | 3 | 3 | 247 | 10.2 | 50 | 16 | No | 30 | 20 | 5 | REQ | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3625100153 | Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Program | Richmond | VA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 249 | 14.5 | 75 | 24 | Yes | REQ | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3625100155 | Eastern Virginia Medical School Program | Norfolk | VA | 0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 | 1 | 0 | 80 | No | 8 | OPT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3625111104 | University of Virginia Medical Center Program | Charlottesville | VA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 277 | 12.6 | 70 | 14 | No | 20 | 4 | REQ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3625400147 | University of Washington Program | Seattle | WA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 5 | 5 | 271 | 12.4 | 80 | 12 | No | 10 | 4 | NA | 50 | 0 | 13 | 38 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3625500001 | West Virginia University School of Medicine Program | Morgantown | WV | 0 | Yes | No | No | 1 | 1 | 209 | 23.3 | 65 | 24 | No | 20 | 5 | OPT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3625621110 | Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program | Milwaukee | WI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Yes | No | No | 2 | 2 | 251 | 11 | 70 | 16 | No | 20 | 6 | NA | 75 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
