In 2008, two COMS—Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine-Bradenton in Bradenton, Fla, and Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine in Henderson—matriculated their first classes of osteopathic medical students. As a result, 3462 COM students graduated in 2008, which represents a 12% increase over the 2007 record-breaking total of 3103 graduates (
Table 3).
1 This increase also represents a 23% growth since 2006.
Compared to 2007, the number of students participating in the 2008 AOA Match increased 11%.
1 A total of 1267 (41%) graduates from the class of 2007 and previous graduates matched into internships through the AOA Match, with 1097 graduates (87%) matching to their first choice. According to final data, as of May 31, 2008, an additional 378 graduates (12%) successfully matched to AOA positions in the post-Match scramble, raising the total number of trainees in osteopathic positions to 1645 (53%).
1
For the 2008-2009 training year, 1353 (38%) graduates (1316 current graduates and 37 previous graduates) matched into internships and first year residency slots through the AOA Match, with 1078 current graduates (82%) matching into their first choice. An estimated additional 475 graduates (13%) matched to AOA positions during the post-Match scramble, bringing the total estimated number of trainees in first-year osteopathic positions to 1828 (51%).
Although traditional rotating internships continue to have the highest Match numbers among osteopathic medical graduates (
Table 4), this number has dropped substantially from previous years as a result of the OGME-1 restructuring. In 2006 and 2007, the number of graduates matched to the traditional rotating internship was 746 and 734, respectively.
1 For class of 2008 graduates, the number was 350. Likewise, many specialties that chose OGME-1R—particularly emergency medicine and family practice—saw jumps in matches compared with previous years.
1
Because this is the first year data are available for positions affected by the restructuring of the traditional osteopathic internship, data for programs beginning for the 2008-2009 training year, which will be reported in the JAOA's 2010 Medical Education issue, are expected to change substantially.
The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) is a centralized service that transmits applications, letters of recommendation, medical student performance evaluations, medical school transcripts, COMLEX transcripts, and other supporting credentials for students and deans' offices to program directors using the Internet. According to this service, which analyzed programs with OGME-1 positions only, the number of applications per applicant submitted to osteopathic training programs through the ERAS increased from 8.7 in 2007 to 10.4 in 2008. In addition, the number of ERAS applicants increased from 2268 in 2007 to 2626 in 2008, a 16% increase. It is reasonable to assume that at least some of this change is a result of a positive response from fourth-year osteopathic medical students to the restructuring.