5 Ways Match Day Impacts Healthcare

Atlanta — Social media was flooded with #MatchDay2018 tweets, videos, and memes when the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP) informed medical students and graduates if they will train at their top-choice program, based on best fit, interview experience, and location. As you can see, Match Day is a big moment in a medical student’s life. Now let’s look at the top 5 ways Match Day impacts healthcare:

 

1. America is Training More – But Still Not Enough – Doctors

The record number of available first-year positions is tempered by this harsh reality: we need to train more physicians as demand continues to outstrip supply, due to the aging population and accelerating retirement of “baby boom” doctors.

 

2. The Rising Supply of Primary Care Physicians Lags Demand

The shortage of Primary Care Physicians (PCPs), the quarterbacks of value-based care, is one of the top three worries of hospital CEOs. They are desperately needed in rural, remote and low-income communities, where they need not only better compensation, but strong support for themselves and their families.

 

3. Medicine is a Becoming a Family Affair

More physicians are pursuing medical careers as couples. The downside? Twice the burden of educational debt on one household makes loan forgiveness an essential recruitment incentive. Retention is doubly important because you risk losing two physicians if they move away from the community.

 

4. Location is Not the Only Thing

Location may be the top factor as residents decide where to apply. But fit and the interview experience jump ahead in their choice of programs. Ultimate success in recruiting depends more heavily on two extremely controllable factors: 1) assessing for fit and 2) delivering an excellent interview experience.

 

5. International Medical Graduates are Important in the Physician Pipeline

The number of non-U.S. citizen International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who participated in the Match declined again. The Association of American Medical Colleges urges support for a permanent legislative solution for Dreamers to ensure academic medicine’s ability to meet increasing healthcare needs, especially for the growing medically underserved and aging populations.

 

A Proactive Recruitment Strategy is More Important than Ever

Now that you know how Match Day impacts healthcare, your next step is figuring out what you can do about it. Avoid the physician gap by developing a strategic physician recruitment plan, assessing candidate fit carefully and delivering an unparalleled interview experience that displays your rewarding workplace culture and welcoming community. See more details.

 

Jackson Physician Search is a leader in the permanent recruitment of physicians and advanced practitioners to hospitals and health systems across the U.S.