Are you wondering how to match into pediatrics? Or how many pediatrics residency programs are there? Do you want to know everything there is about pediatric residency interviews? Need to know how many interviews to match in pediatrics?
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to match into pediatrics.
Summary:
- Pediatrics is less competitive, in part due to having so many programs and positions available
- In part due to the volume of applications, pediatrics residency programs use standardized screens to “weed out” applicants
- The most successful applicants won’t fail any USMLE, a stellar MSPE, and having overcome significant obstacles
- Historically, most pediatrics interview invites occur before October 31, and the vast majority before November 31
Table of Contents
How Competitive is it to Match into Pediatrics?
How competitive is it to match into pediatrics in the US? Here we have the unmatched % of US seniors by specialty. The “Unmatched %” means the % of US seniors who applied to pediatrics who did not match during the given year.
This is one measure of specialty competitiveness – perhaps the most relevant if you want to match into pediatrics.
For more on the competitiveness of pediatrics relative to other medical specialties, see this article.
How Many Pediatrics Residency Programs Are There?
Before we discuss how many pediatrics residency programs there are in the US, let’s review some terminology. For many specialized residency programs (e.g., anesthesiology, dermatology, radiology, radiation oncology, etc.), the specialty training begins during their second year of residency. This second year is also known as the PGY-2 (post-graduate year 2, for the second year after graduating from medical school).
Categorical vs. Advanced vs. Physician Pediatrics Programs
Many specialties offer three different kinds of residency programs applicants can potentially enter: categorical, advanced, and physician (R).
A pediatrics residency lasts 3 years. All pediatrics programs include the PGY-1 “intern” year – these programs are known as “categorical” programs.
Some specialty programs, however, require applicants to match separately into an intern year. These programs, which begin in the PGY-2 years, are referred to as “advanced” positions.
Finally, for others who have already completed at least a year of residency training, they may be eligible for a “physician” position. These positions allow applicants to move directly into the PGY-2 specialty training and skip the PGY-1 year. This arrangement may be ideal for those who want to complete residency sooner and not have to repeat their intern year.
How Many Pediatrics Residency Programs and Positions Are There?
In the 2022 NRMP Match, there were:
- 235 pediatrics offering 2942 PGY-1 (categorical) positions,
- No programs offering positions PGY-2 (advanced) positions, and
- No programs offering positions Physician (R) positions
Thus, the total number of pediatrics residency positions in 2022 was at least 2,942, and there were at least 235 pediatrics programs in 2022. We can’t say for certain as there are some preliminary positions available, but programs that offer categorical positions also offer preliminary positions.
See the 2022 Main Residency Match Results and Data for more information on pediatrics match statistics.
How to Match into Pediatrics: Impressing Program Directors
To match into pediatrics, you must first be invited to an interview. According to the most recent program director (PD) survey from 2021, PDs shared what they look for in candidates they hope to interview.
For pediatrics, the top five most important characteristics for receiving an interview, according to program directors, were:
- MSPE
- Any failed USMLE attempt
- Diversity characteristics
- Any failed COMLEX-USA attempt
- Having overcome significant obstacles
The same data are presented more fully in a table. Here you will see the % of program director respondents who cited a factor as important for granting an interview, as well as the mean importance score (out of 5).
To balance the breadth of program directors citing each factor with the importance given to each factor, a “composite score” was created. This composite score takes the average of the % respondents citing a factor with the importance score scaled to 100%. For example, if 80% of PDs cited a given factor, with a mean importance score of 5.0 (out of 5), the composite score would be 90%. (The average of 80% of PDs citing with 5/5 – or 100% – for the mean importance, for a composite score of 90%).
| Pediatrics: Characteristics Considered in Deciding Whom to INTERVIEW (% of Respondents Endorsing) | Pediatrics: Characteristics Considered in Deciding Whom to INTERVIEW (Mean Importance / 5) | Pediatrics: Characteristics Considered for Interview Composite Score (Average of % Respondents Endorsing and Mean Importance / 5) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSPE | 91.3% | 4.4 | 89.7% |
| Any Failed USMLE Attempt | 78.3% | 4.5 | 84.2% |
| Diversity Characteristics | 80.4% | 4.2 | 82.2% |
| Any Failed COMLEX-USA Attempt | 69.6% | 4.5 | 79.8% |
| Having Overcome Significant Obstacles | 78.3% | 4 | 79.2% |
| USMLE Step 1 Score | 84.8% | 3.6 | 78.4% |
| Letters of Recommendation in Specialty | 78.3% | 3.9 | 78.2% |
| Perceived Commitment to Specialty | 73.9% | 4.1 | 78.0% |
| Grades in Required Clerkships | 73.9% | 4 | 77.0% |
| Personal Statement (Overall) | 80.4% | 3.6 | 76.2% |
| Professionalism and Ethics | 65.2% | 4.3 | 75.6% |
| Volunteer/Extracurricular Experience | 69.6% | 3.8 | 72.8% |
| Grades in Clerkship in Preferred Specialty | 65.2% | 3.9 | 71.6% |
| USMLE Step 2 CK Score | 65.2% | 3.8 | 70.6% |
| Leadership Qualities | 60.9% | 4 | 70.5% |
| COMLEX-USA Level 1 score | 69.6% | 3.5 | 69.8% |
| Perceived Interest in Program | 52.2% | 4.2 | 68.1% |
| Class Ranking/Quartile | 65.2% | 3.4 | 66.6% |
| COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE Score | 56.5% | 3.7 | 65.3% |
| Other Life Experience | 56.5% | 3.7 | 65.3% |
| Personal Prior Knowledge of Applicant | 47.8% | 4 | 63.9% |
| Medical School Accreditation Status | 43.5% | 4.2 | 63.8% |
| Audition Elective/Rotation in PD's Dept | 45.7% | 3.9 | 61.9% |
| Continuous Medical Education w/o Gaps | 45.7% | 3.8 | 60.9% |
| NRMP Flag for Match Violation | 21.7% | 5 | 60.9% |
| Passing USMLE Step 2 CS | 34.8% | 4.3 | 60.4% |
| Consistency of Grades | 41.3% | 3.9 | 59.7% |
| Ability to Work Legally w/o Visa | 30.4% | 4.3 | 58.2% |
| GHHS Membership | 47.8% | 3.3 | 56.9% |
| AOA Membership | 45.7% | 3.4 | 56.9% |
| Visa Status | 37.0% | 3.8 | 56.5% |
| Passing COMLEX-USA Level 2 PE | 21.7% | 4.5 | 55.9% |
| Awards/Honors in Clinical Clerkships | 45.7% | 3 | 52.9% |
| Fluency in Language of Pt Population | 30.4% | 3.5 | 50.2% |
| Medical School Reputation | 32.6% | 3.3 | 49.3% |
| Awards/Honors, Clerkship in Preferred Specialty | 34.8% | 3 | 47.4% |
| Sigma Sigma Phi Membership | 23.9% | 3.5 | 47.0% |
| Awards/Honors in Basic Sciences | 13.0% | 3.2 | 38.5% |
| Involvement and Interest in Research | 21.7% | 2.7 | 37.9% |
| Interest in Academic Career | 8.7% | 3.3 | 37.4% |
| Away Rotation in Specialty Elsewhere | 8.7% | 3 | 34.4% |
| USMLE Step 3 Score | 4.3% | 1 | 12.2% |
| COMLEX-USA Level 3 Score | 0.0% | 0.0% | |
| How Medical School Handled Virtual Rotations | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Here are the composite scores for the criteria pediatrics program directors use for grading interviews.
What Do Pediatrics Program Directors Look for When Ranking Applicants?
Getting an interview is only part of the process of matching into pediatrics. Program directors also rank the most important factors for creating their rank order list.
In the 2021 Program Director Survey, pediatrics PDs rated these criteria as most important for deciding whom to rank:
- Interactions with faculty during interview/visit
- Interpersonal skills
- Interactions with house staff during interview/visit
- Feedback from current residents
- Diversity characteristics
We can see the full list here:
| Pediatrics: Characteristics Considered in Deciding Whom to RANK (% of Respondents Endorsing) | Pediatrics: Characteristics Considered in Deciding Whom to RANK (Mean Importance / 5) | Pediatrics: Characteristics Considered for Rank Composite Score (Average of % Respondents Endorsing and Mean Importance / 5) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interactions with Faculty During Interview/Visit | 95.7% | 4.8 | 95.9% |
| Interpersonal Skills | 91.3% | 4.9 | 94.7% |
| Interactions with House Staff During Interview/Visit | 84.8% | 4.8 | 90.4% |
| Feedback from Current Residents | 84.8% | 4.6 | 88.4% |
| Diversity Characteristics | 78.3% | 4.3 | 82.2% |
| MSPE | 76.1% | 3.9 | 77.1% |
| Having Overcome Significant Obstacles | 67.4% | 4.2 | 75.7% |
| USMLE Step 2 CK Score | 65.2% | 4.3 | 75.6% |
| Professionalism and Ethics | 58.7% | 4.4 | 73.4% |
| Letters of Recommendation in Specialty | 69.6% | 3.7 | 71.8% |
| USMLE Step 1 Score | 67.4% | 3.7 | 70.7% |
| COMLEX-USA Level 1 score | 56.5% | 4.2 | 70.3% |
| Personal Statement | 67.4% | 3.6 | 69.7% |
| Perceived Commitment to Specialty | 56.5% | 4.1 | 69.3% |
| Grades in Required Clerkships | 52.2% | 4.3 | 69.1% |
| COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE Score | 50.0% | 4.3 | 68.0% |
| Volunteer/Extracurricular Experience | 63.0% | 3.6 | 67.5% |
| Leadership Qualities | 56.5% | 3.9 | 67.3% |
| Perceived Interest in Program | 50.0% | 4 | 65.0% |
| Class Ranking/Quartile | 54.3% | 3.7 | 64.2% |
| Other Life Experience | 54.3% | 3.7 | 64.2% |
| GHHS Membership | 47.8% | 4 | 63.9% |
| Any Failed USMLE Attempt | 56.5% | 3.5 | 63.3% |
| AOA Membership | 45.7% | 3.8 | 60.9% |
| Any Failed COMLEX-USA Attempt | 50.0% | 3.5 | 60.0% |
| Personal Prior Knowledge of Applicant | 43.5% | 3.8 | 59.8% |
| Continuous Medical Education w/o Gaps | 41.3% | 3.9 | 59.7% |
| Audition Elective/Rotation in PD's Dept | 32.6% | 4.2 | 58.3% |
| Consistency of Grades | 30.4% | 4.3 | 58.2% |
| NRMP Flag for Match Violation | 21.7% | 4.6 | 56.9% |
| Medical School Reputation | 28.3% | 4 | 54.2% |
| Grades in Clerkship in Preferred Specialty | 41.3% | 3 | 50.7% |
| Ability to Work Legally w/o Visa | 13.0% | 4.3 | 49.5% |
| Passing USMLE Step 2 CS | 23.9% | 3.7 | 49.0% |
| Fluency in Language of Patient Population | 23.9% | 3.6 | 48.0% |
| Visa Status | 19.6% | 3.8 | 47.8% |
| Away Rotation in Specialty Elsewhere | 4.3% | 4.5 | 47.2% |
| Second Interview/Visit | 4.3% | 4.5 | 47.2% |
| Medical School Accreditation Status | 21.7% | 3.6 | 46.9% |
| Awards/Honors in Basic Sciences | 10.9% | 4.1 | 46.5% |
| Passing COMLEX-USA Level 2 PE | 19.6% | 3.4 | 43.8% |
| Sigma Sigma Phi Membership | 21.7% | 3.2 | 42.9% |
| Awards/Honors in Clinical Clerkships | 17.4% | 3.4 | 42.7% |
| Awards/Honors, Clerkship in Preferred Specialty | 19.6% | 3.2 | 41.8% |
| Involvement and Interest in Research | 17.4% | 3.3 | 41.7% |
| Interest in Academic Career | 8.7% | 3.5 | 39.4% |
| Applicant Facility with Meeting Platform Tech | 6.5% | 3.5 | 38.3% |
| Other Post-Interview Contact | 8.7% | 3.3 | 37.4% |
| How Medical School Handled Virtual Rotations | 4.3% | 3.5 | 37.2% |
| USMLE Step 3 Score | 4.3% | 3.4 | 36.2% |
| COMLEX-USA Level 3 Score | 2.2% | 2.8 | 29.1% |
Finally, we can see the composite scores for criteria used to rank pediatric applicants.
What Characteristics Do Successful Pediatrics Applicants Share?
Here are the characteristics of matched vs. unmatched US seniors applying to pediatrics.
| Matched | Unmatched | |
|---|---|---|
| Mean number of contiguous ranks, US Senior | 14.6 | 4.1 |
| Mean number of distinct specialties ranked, US Senior | 1 | 1.3 |
| Step 1, US Senior | 230 | 209 |
| Step 2, US Senior | 245 | 230 |
| Mean number of research experiences, US Senior | 3.2 | 2.4 |
| Mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications, US Senior | 5.6 | 5.9 |
| Mean number of work experiences, US Senior | 3.4 | 2.7 |
| Mean number of volunteer experiences, US Senior | 9.3 | 7 |
| Percentage who are AOA members, US Senior | 13.4 | 4.8 |
| Percentage who graduated from one of the 40 U.S. medical schools with the highest NIH funding, US Senior | 28.2 | 19 |
| Percentage who have Ph.D. degree, US Senior | 3.5 | 5.6 |
| Percentage who have another graduate degree, US Senior | 15.9 | 38.9 |
Match Into Pediatrics: Pass the Screens with High USMLEs
Pediatrics relies on standardized screens to weed out applicants. In the 2021 Program Director Survey, pediatric PDs respondents reported that 52% of applications were rejected via standardized screen. This ranked near the top of residencies.
What Are the Step 1 and Step 2 CK Cut-Offs for Interviews in Pediatrics?
As mentioned above, pediatrics ranks near the top of programs using standardized screens to eliminate applications. Many pediatrics programs screen out applicants with failed USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK (see below). In addition, PDs use Step 1 and Step 2 CK score cut-offs to weed out applicants.
For Step 1, pediatrics program directors reported Step 1 score cut-offs between 200 and 210 as 25% and 75%ile marks to screen out applicants.
Similarly, pediatrics program directors reported Step 2 CK scores between 205 and 218 as 25% and 75%ile cut-offs.
For more on the USMLE cut-off scores for granting interviews – or weeding out applicants – see this article.
If I Fail Step 1, Can I Still Match Into Pediatrics?
If you failed Step 1, you might wonder if you can still match into pediatrics. In the most recent program director survey addressing this question, we can see that pediatrics programs are seen to be relatively forgiving if you’ve failed Step 1.
In 2020, pediatrics only 3% of PDs reported they “never” consider applicants who fail Step 1, while 72% would “seldom” consider it. 26% of pediatrics programs “often” consider someone with a Step 1 fail.
Did you fail Step 1 and are wondering what you can do to recover? Read this article and consider scheduling a consultation.
If I Fail Step 2 CK, Can I Still Match Into Pediatrics?
Similarly, you may wonder what your chances of matching into pediatrics are if you fail Step 2 CK. Just like with Step 1, pediatric PDs are relatively forgiving for not passing Step 2 CK.
In 2020, pediatrics only 5% of PDs reported they “never” consider applicants who fail Step 2 CK, while 87% would “seldom” consider it, and 8% of pediatrics programs “often” consider someone with a Step 2 CK fail.
Did you fail Step 2 CK and wonder what you can do to recover? Read this article and consider scheduling a consultation.
How Many Publications for Pediatrics Residency in 2022
Research is an important characteristic for matching into many specialties, particularly the most competitive. So, how many publications do you need to match into a pediatrics residency?
In 2022, the mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications for US seniors who matched into pediatrics was 5.6. The mean number of research experiences was 3.2.
Do I Need an MD-PhD to Become a Pediatrician?
You may wonder how much an MD-PhD helps with matching into pediatrics. It appears that having a PhD correlates with a modest disadvantage of -1% when applying into pediatrics. Specifically, the match rate for those with a PhD is 1% lower than for those without one when applying to pediatrics.
Note that those with PhDs are relatively rare among pediatric residents. In fact, only 3.5% of matched applicants into pediatrics had a PhD in 2022.
Pediatrics Residency Interviews
When you apply to pediatrics, you may be wondering what the chances of getting an interview are. Here we present the outcomes of applicants per the 2021 NRMP Program Director Survey.
Note that pediatrics uses standardized screens to reduce the number of applicants. Roughly 52% of applicants that year were eliminated via a screen (e.g., Step 2 CK scores, visa status, failed a USMLE in the past, etc.).
When Are Pediatrics Residency Interview Invites Sent vs. Conducted?
When you apply to residency, you’ll be doing a lot of waiting. Specifically, you’ll be waiting to hear whether – and when – you will be able to interview.
Want to know when you might expect to hear from pediatrics programs re: your residency application? Here are when programs typically extend and conduct interviews. Note that the most recent data are from 2020.
Here are the same data presented differently. Note that due to rounding, sometimes the percentages can add up to more than 100%.
How Many Interviews to Match in Pediatrics?
How many interviews to match in pediatrics with confidence? For US Seniors, the magic number of interviews needed to match into pediatrics starts from the first interview. In 2022, having even one interview (and ranking them all on their match list) led to a >75% chance of matching. For even greater safety, though, having 7+ interviews led to a ≥98% chance of matching into pediatrics for US seniors.
How Many Interviews to Match in Pediatrics as a DO?
For DO seniors, more interviews were necessary to match into pediatrics comfortably. To get to the >75% threshold, ≥ 3 interviews were needed. To reach the 100% threshold, 7+ interviews were needed in 2022.
How Many Interviews to Match in Pediatrics as an IMG?
Similar to DOs, more interviews were necessary for IMGs to comfortably match into pediatrics. To reach the 75% threshold, ≥4 interviews were necessary. Due to a low number of applicants the graphs become noiser, but ≥7 interviews were necessary to comfortably match at the ≥85% threshold.
Concluding Thoughts
Matching into pediatrics is a challenging proposition. The challenge may feel more daunting if we have perceived weaknesses in our application, or if we want to match in a top program, a desirable location, and/or couples match.
The good news? How to match into pediatrics depends largely on things you can control – your USMLEs, your clinical performance/MSPEs, whether you fail Step 1 or Step 2 CK, and having overcome significant obstacles.
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Looking for a Pediatrics Residency Advisor?
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