For would-be gynecologists, a happy "Match Day"

A whopping 88.1% of fourth-year US medical school students who applied for a residency in obstetrics/gynecology were paired with a program in their preferred specialty on “Match Day” 2008. A total of 1,163 residencies were offered in the field and, for the second year in a row, 99% were filled through the match; 72.1% of those positions were filled by US medical school seniors. The most competitive specialties were plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, dermatology, otolaryngology, diagnostic radiology, radiation oncology, and general surgery.

Overall, 28,737 applicants-the most ever-competed for 22,240 first-year residency positions. Of those applicants, a record-high 15,242 were US medical school seniors, of whom 94.2% matched to a first-year residency, according to the National Resident Matching Program. In fact, 84.6% of those US medical school seniors were paired at one of their top three choices. The number of first-year residency positions available through the match was also the highest in history, with 395 additional positions added this year.

Notable in 2008 was an increased interest in family medicine residency positions: 7.6% of US medical school seniors matched to one of those positions, up from 7.2% last year. The number of applicants from international medical schools and osteopathic schools also rose, totaling nearly 1,900 applicants, 71.6% of whom matched to a position.