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The Most IMG-Friendly Pathology Programs in the US

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by Monique Cloete in IMG, Residency

Are you wondering how IMG-friendly (or unfriendly) pathology is as a US medical specialty? Do you want to know your chances of matching in this highly competitive field? Would you love to figure out what pathology programs an IMG would stand the best chance?

This article will give you the most up-to-date information on IMG-friendly pathology programs. Use this information to strategize on whether – and where – to apply to maximize your chances of matching as an IMG in pathology.

Summary:

  • Pathology is among the most IMG-friendly US medical specialties.
  • Many pathology residency programs have a high ratio of IMGs, including George Washington (92%) and Rutgers (92%).
  • In addition, some programs favor US IMGs while others favor 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.

Note that “International Medical Graduate” (IMG) refers to the medical school you attended. Thus, a foreign citizen who attends a US medical school is NOT an IMG. However, a US citizen attending a med school outside the US would be considered an IMG. (Technically, s/he would be a US IMG).

For more on how IMGs can attain residency in the US, see The IMG’s Guide to Obtaining Residency in the United States (2022).

Pathology is IMG-Friendly

Considering the percentage of spots filled by IMGs in the 2022 Match, we can see pathology was IMG-friendly. Pathology had the highest proportion of positions filled by IMGs compared to all other specialties.

Similarly, the match rate for IMGs in pathology is among the highest 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 IMGsTotal Positions OfferedTotal # All Applicants
Anesthesiology8%3%4%1,9692,560
Child Neurology15%4%11%188182
Dermatology3%1%1%544834
Diagnostic Radiology8%2%6%1,1551,568
Emergency Medicine7%6%1%2,9212,813
Family Medicine21%13%8%4,9165,055
General Surgery9%3%5%1,6222,400
Internal Medicine36%9%25%9,80911,598
Internal Medicine/Pediatrics5%2%2%392458
Interventional Radiology2%0%2%169226
Neurological Surgery8%1%7%240379
Neurology25%5%18%1,0141,249
Obstetrics and Gynecology5%2%3%1,5032,044
Orthopaedic Surgery2%1%1%8751,435
Otolaryngology
Pathology41%7%31%631827
Pediatrics18%7%11%3,0163,153
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation6%2%3%532725
Plastic Surgery6%1%4%194340
Psychiatry15%7%6%2,0472,560
Radiation Oncology11%5%7%185162
Vascular Surgery7%0%7%84143

For more on the most IMG-friendly medical specialties, see this article.

The Most IMG-Friendly Pathology Residency Programs

Likewise, several pathology residency programs are IMG-friendly. For example, 2 pathology  residencies in the most recent GME census had IMG percentages of  between 90-99% and 4 had an IMG percentage between 80-89%. In addition, 19% of all pathology residency programs fill the majority of their positions with IMGs.

Here is a list of the most (and least) IMG-friendly pathology 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 codeResidency program nameCityState% residents IMG (US + Non-US)% residents US-citizen IMGs% residents non-US-citizen IMGs% residents US MD graduates% residents US DO graduatesProgram 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
3001031069George Washington University ProgramWashingtonDC92672580YesNoNo4459512.7
3003321381Rutgers Health/New Jersey Medical School ProgramNewarkNJ92771508YesNoNo0061411.9
3001611095Rush University Medical Center ProgramChicagoIL87474077YesNoNo4451912.4
3002421400UMass Chan Medical School ProgramWorcesterMA875631130YesNoNo445518.2
3002121123Louisiana State University ProgramNew OrleansLA82820018YesNoNo3354217
3002521165Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University ProgramDetroitMI826418180YesNoNo335627.4
3001621098University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago ProgramChicagoIL785622617YesNoNo6658713.5
3003521260SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University ProgramBrooklynNY764333195YesNoNo6654913.2
3004811352University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston ProgramHoustonTX735023198YesNoNo7754017.5
3004112323Allegheny Health Network Medical Education Consortium (AGH) ProgramPittsburghPA6923461515YesNoNo335547.1
3004321414Brown University ProgramProvidenceRI693138256YesNoNo445258.2
3005631376University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics ProgramMadisonWI6738292410YesNoNo7640711.5
3001721111Indiana University School of Medicine ProgramIndianapolisIN651550305YesYesNo4445811
3003521396Stony Brook Medicine/University Hospital ProgramStony BrookNY645014297YesNoNo445657
3005111366Virginia Commonwealth University Health System ProgramRichmondVA6350132513YesNoNo4433515.3
3004121324UPMC Medical Education ProgramPittsburghPA62854318YesYesNo8851811.4
3003521263University of Rochester ProgramRochesterNY6128332811YesNoNo666176.9
3003521251Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Mount Sinai Hospital) ProgramNew YorkNY603030390YesYesNo666289.9
3005621377Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals ProgramMilwaukeeWI5713443113YesYesNo444556.5
3000511047Los Angeles County-Harbor-UCLA Medical Center ProgramTorranceCA565063113YesNoNo443308.5
3000521407University of California (Irvine) ProgramOrangeCA56560440YesNoNo6640915.6
3003812278Cleveland Clinic Foundation ProgramClevelandOH5411433214YesYesYes7757515.9
3004011302Oregon Health & Science University ProgramPortlandOR542727450YesYesNo3347210.2
3004811349University of Texas Medical Branch Hospitals ProgramGalvestonTX5329243810YesNoNo554968.5
3000321023University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson ProgramTucsonAZ504373614YesNoNo444625.9
3000521028Loma Linda University Health Education Consortium ProgramLoma LindaCA504463119YesNoNo5557813
3002121122Tulane University ProgramNew OrleansLA50428500YesNoNo334155.1
3003521265SUNY Upstate Medical University ProgramSyracuseNY5021291436YesYesYes5557012.6
3004831350Baylor College of Medicine ProgramHoustonTX481632483YesNoNo8854015.4
3001131078University of South Florida Morsani ProgramTampaFL464603123YesNoNo334698.1
3003221198Dartmouth-Hitchcock/Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital ProgramLebanonNH4623232331YesNoYes4437810
3002821185University of Missouri-Columbia ProgramColumbiaMO4518273618YesYesNo336697.6
3004811345University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center ProgramDallasTX4532133519YesNoNo9947914.5
3000512030Cedars-Sinai Medical Center ProgramLos AngelesCA4425194413YesNoNo543786.9
3000521033University of Southern California/LAC+USC Medical Center ProgramLos AngelesCA433942630YesNoNo6633514.6
3000131018University of Alabama Medical Center ProgramBirminghamAL4225172929YesNoNo775799.6
3003521255NYU Grossman School of Medicine ProgramNew YorkNY4213293325YesNoNo7755412.3
3003511237New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia Campus) ProgramNew YorkNY411823555YesNoNo7750411.1
3004812343Baylor University Medical Center ProgramDallasTX416351247YesNoNo554777.9
3001821116University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics ProgramIowa CityIA405354515YesYesNo6644014.9
3000511025University of California Davis Health ProgramSacramentoCA393182338YesNoNo3337915.7
3002621179Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (Rochester) ProgramRochesterMN3821174814YesYesYes7753117.1
3004823420Methodist Hospital (Houston) ProgramHoustonTX37829630YesNoNo5555212.7
3000821062Yale-New Haven Medical Center ProgramNew HavenCT363335310YesYesNo9942621
3003821286Ohio State University Hospital ProgramColumbusOH3612242441YesNoNo4447912.1
3002811193Washington University/B-JH/SLCH Consortium ProgramSt. LouisMO321616625YesYesYes111151012.3
3003611270Wake Forest University School of Medicine ProgramWinston-SalemNC3211215811YesNoNo554177.8
3003921295University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center ProgramOklahoma CityOK321319690YesNoNo445067.8
3003511253New York Presbyterian Hospital (Cornell Campus) ProgramNew YorkNY3010206010YesNoNo6648913.1
3004221385University of Puerto Rico ProgramSan JuanPR30300700Yes331024.3
3002431419Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School ProgramBostonMA296235813YesYesYes101036831.4
3000421024University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine ProgramLittle RockAR2811174428YesYesYes5548910.6
3002631178University of Minnesota ProgramMinneapolisMN2814145714YesNoNo4477511.7
3001121073University of Florida ProgramGainesvilleFL277206013YesNoNo44470
3001621094McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University ProgramChicagoIL244206016YesYesNo6652313.7
3001921117University of Kansas School of Medicine ProgramKansas CityKS246181859YesNoNo4340910
3001621097University of Chicago ProgramChicagoIL23518735YesYesYes888338.8
3004121314University of Pennsylvania Health System ProgramPhiladelphiaPA21615763YesNoNo111149920.9
3004621333University of South Dakota ProgramSioux FallsSD202004040NoNoNo212163.9
3000511034UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine/UCLA Medical Center ProgramLos AngelesCA19145775YesNoNo6632715.1
3000521040University of California (San Diego) Medical Center ProgramLa JollaCA17017830YesNoNo6634920.4
3005111362University of Virginia Medical Center ProgramCharlottesvilleVA17611830YesYesNo6637816.7
3000521044University of California (San Francisco) ProgramSan FranciscoCA15123769YesNoNo101037617.2
3002311129Johns Hopkins University ProgramBaltimoreMD1468860YesNoNo131342212.6
3002431146Brigham and Women's Hospital ProgramBostonMA14311860YesYesYes111148213.5
3003611267University of North Carolina Hospitals ProgramChapel HillNC130136720YesNoNo5536716.6
3000721055University of Colorado ProgramAuroraCO1284834YesNoNo6540418.9
3003421218University of New Mexico School of Medicine ProgramAlbuquerqueNM12665929YesNoNo4431317.2
3004521332Medical University of South Carolina ProgramCharlestonSC101006030YesNoNo5542511.4
3002331135University of Maryland ProgramBaltimoreMD707867YesNoNo444579.3
3005421367University of Washington ProgramSeattleWA7078211YesYesYes8742419.5
3005011361University of Vermont Medical Center ProgramBurlingtonVT6607519YesNoNo4427017.1
3002521158University of Michigan Health System ProgramAnn ArborMI440934YesNoNo7746120.2
3000521046Stanford Health Care-Sponsored Stanford University ProgramStanfordCA303970YesNoNo121234719.5
3000111019USA Health ProgramMobileAL0YesNoNo335077.9
3000121017Brookwood Baptist Health ProgramBirminghamAL0YesNoNo214135.7
3000512011Naval Medical Center (San Diego) ProgramSan DiegoCA0
3000712048Centura Health Corporation ProgramColorado SpringsCO0NoNoNo2229612.9
3000811057Danbury Hospital ProgramDanburyCT0YesYesNo225758.4
3000811059Hartford Hospital ProgramHartfordCT0Yes3359810.8
3001011068MedStar Health/Georgetown University Hospital ProgramWashingtonDC0YesNoNo335816
3001021070Howard University ProgramWashingtonDC0YesNoNo333227
3001021416National Capital Consortium ProgramBethesdaMD0008317NoNoNo
3001100001HCA Healthcare: East Florida Division GME ProgramPlantationFL0NoNoNo210
3001100080HCA Healthcare/USF Morsani College of Medicine GME: Brandon Regional Hospital ProgramBrandonFL0YesNoNo225624.3
3001112077Orlando Health ProgramOrlandoFL0NoNoNo224154.4
3001121075University of Miami/Jackson Health System ProgramMiamiFL0YesNoNo6654312.1
3001131074University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville ProgramJacksonvilleFL0YesNoNo224878.1
3001131076Mount Sinai Medical Center of Florida ProgramMiami BeachFL0YesNoNo004173.2
3001221080Emory University School of Medicine ProgramAtlantaGA099466
3001221082Medical College of Georgia ProgramAugustaGA0YesNoNo224416.8
3001421085University of Hawaii ProgramHonoluluHI0YesNoNo315162.8
3001621394Loyola University Medical Center ProgramMaywoodIL0YesNoNo445749.8
3001621412University of Chicago (NorthShore) ProgramEvanstonIL0YesYesYes335378.3
3002021120University of Kentucky College of Medicine ProgramLexingtonKY0YesNoNo4442817
3002021121University of Louisville School of Medicine ProgramLouisvilleKY0YesNoNo334749.5
3002131126Louisiana State University (Shreveport) ProgramShreveportLA0YesNoNo444765.4
3002312015National Institutes of Health Clinical Center ProgramBethesdaMD0YesYesNo334788.6
3002421139Boston University Medical Center ProgramBostonMA0YesNoNo224687.2
3002421145Tufts Medical Center ProgramBostonMA0YesNoNo337977.3
3002421413UMass Chan - Baystate ProgramSpringfieldMA0YesYesNo4450311.4
3002431143Massachusetts General Hospital ProgramBostonMA0001000YesYesNo111143917.5
3002512160Henry Ford Hospital ProgramDetroitMI0YesYesNo445857.3
3002512162Ascension St John Hospital ProgramDetroitMI0YesNoNo2255611.1
3002521173Beaumont Health (Royal Oak) ProgramRoyal OakMI0YesYesYes335686.1
3002721182University of Mississippi Medical Center ProgramJacksonMS0YesNoNo443978.7
3002821192St Louis University School of Medicine ProgramSt LouisMO0YesNoNo334063
3002821408University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine ProgramKansas CityMO0YesNoNo224806.4
3003021195Creighton University School of Medicine (Omaha) ProgramOmahaNE0YesNoNo223879.1
3003021197University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine ProgramOmahaNE0YesNoNo4427520.8
3003321215Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School ProgramNew BrunswickNJ0YesNoNo225235.6
3003321418Rutgers Health/Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center ProgramLivingstonNJ0YesNoNo51710.3
3003500421Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Staten Island University Hospital ProgramStaten IslandNY0YesYesYes225248.5
3003511243Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Lenox Hill Hospital ProgramNew YorkNY0YesYesYes335746.7
3003511266Westchester Medical Center ProgramValhallaNY0YesNoNo334979.4
3003512229NYU Long Island School of Medicine ProgramMineolaNY0YesNoNo2254010.2
3003521219Albany Medical Center ProgramAlbanyNY0YesNoNo3344118.1
3003521224University at Buffalo ProgramBuffaloNY0YesNoNo335517.5
3003521230Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine ProgramBronxNY0YesYesNo6659010.8
3003521245Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell ProgramGreenvaleNY0YesYesNo4446910.9
3003521398Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Morningside/West) ProgramNew YorkNY0YesYesNo556198.5
3003621269Duke University Hospital ProgramDurhamNC0001000YesNoNo6643722.4
3003621404Vidant Medical Center/East Carolina University ProgramGreenvilleNC0YesNoNo337199
3003811272Summa Health System/NEOMED ProgramAkronOH0YesNoNo333537.2
3003811279The MetroHealth System/Case Western Reserve University ProgramClevelandOH0YesYesNo335148.3
3003811290University of Toledo ProgramToledoOH0YesNoNo224158.2
3003821276University of Cincinnati Medical Center/College of Medicine ProgramCincinnatiOH0YesNoNo337757.6
3003821277Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center ProgramClevelandOH0YesNoNo7756911
3004100398Geisinger Health System ProgramDanvillePA0YesYesNo225277.1
3004111308Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center ProgramHersheyPA0YesNoNo336346.3
3004111318Pennsylvania Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Health System ProgramPhiladelphiaPA0YesNoNo224697.7
3004111321Temple University Hospital ProgramPhiladelphiaPA0YesYesYes445609.3
3004111322Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University/TJUH ProgramPhiladelphiaPA0YesYesYes4451011.3
3004711335University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville ProgramKnoxvilleTN0YesNoNo313624.5
3004712336University of Tennessee ProgramMemphisTN0YesNoNo224747.7
3004721341Vanderbilt University Medical Center ProgramNashvilleTN000928YesNoNo6638215.4
3004721399East Tennessee State University/Quillen College of Medicine ProgramJohnson CityTN0YesNoNo224489.9
3004800001Texas Tech University HSC El Paso ProgramEl PasoTX0Yes
3004800421University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School ProgramAustinTX0YesYesYes000
3004811417San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium ProgramJBSA-Fort Sam HoustonTX0
3004812357Texas A&M College of Medicine-Scott and White Medical Center (Temple) ProgramTempleTX0YesNoNo224628.4
3004821356University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Joe and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine ProgramSan AntonioTX0YesNoNo5555910.9
3004921360University of Utah Health ProgramSalt Lake CityUT0008119YesNoNo5533818.9
3005412009Madigan Army Medical Center ProgramTacomaWA0NoNoNo0
3005511373West Virginia University ProgramMorgantownWV0YesNoNo334414.6

Concluding Thoughts

Pathology is among the most IMG-friendly of fields. Several pathology residency programs fill all their available positions with IMGs and numerous other residency programs have high IMG percentages. However, with 45% of applicants rejected, pathology is still a competitive field for IMGs.

Are you despairing at your chances of matching into pathology as an IMG? Then, check out Never Forget, where you can learn how to master – not memorize – for the impressive USMLE scores to match at your dream residency. And if you’re looking for a residency advisor, look at our residency advisory services.

Want FREE Cardiology Flashcards?

Cardiology is key for impressive USMLE scores. Master cardiology from a Harvard-trained anesthesiologist who scored USMLE 270 with these 130+ high-yield flash cards. You’ll be begging for cardio questions - even if vitals make you queasy.

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