While Navy residency hopefuls face intense competition with nearly 500 applicants vying for just over 300 positions each year, the data from the 2023 match and recent cycles reveals a consistently optimistic pathway, with over 92% of applicants successfully securing a position.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2023 Navy Residency Match, 486 PGY-1 applicants competed for 320 positions, resulting in a 92.5% match rate with 450 successful matches
- For the 2022 cycle, Navy had 512 applicants for 315 slots, achieving 91.2% fill rate with 443 matches out of 485 who ranked programs
- Navy's 2021 match saw 478 applicants secure 298 of 310 positions, yielding 94.1% success rate for ranked applicants
- Navy Internal Medicine residency programs filled 100% of 45 slots in 2023 with 120 applicants
- In 2022, Navy General Surgery matched 32 of 35 positions, drawing from 89 applicants
- Pediatrics in Navy 2021 match filled 28/30 slots from 65 applicants
- Navy's average age of matched applicants in 2023 was 27.4 years, with 68% under 28
- In 2022, 52.3% of Navy matched applicants were female, up from 48.1% in 2021
- Navy 2021 applicants had mean USMLE Step 1 score of 245.2 for matched cohort
- Navy PGY-1 programs offered 320 slots in 2023 across 25 sites
- In 2022, Navy had 315 PGY-1 positions with 98.7% ultimate fill post-SOAP
- Navy 2021 offered 310 slots, filled 96.5% initially, 99.2% final
- In 2023, Navy match rates increased 1.3% from 2022 baseline of 92.5%
- From 2019-2023, Navy PGY-1 slots grew 12.5% while applicants rose 8.2%
- Navy female match percentage rose from 48% in 2019 to 53% in 2023
The Navy Residency Match consistently maintains a high success rate for its medical applicants.
Applicant Demographics
- Navy's average age of matched applicants in 2023 was 27.4 years, with 68% under 28
- In 2022, 52.3% of Navy matched applicants were female, up from 48.1% in 2021
- Navy 2021 applicants had mean USMLE Step 1 score of 245.2 for matched cohort
- 2020 Navy match saw 76% of applicants from USUHS, 18% HPSP, 6% civilians
- In 2019, 34% of Navy applicants identified as underrepresented minorities
- Navy 2023 matched applicants averaged 3.8 research publications
- 2022 saw mean Step 2 CK score of 251.7 for Navy internals
- Navy applicants in 2021 had average AOA membership rate of 42% for top matches
- 2020 Navy demographics: 92% US MD/DO schools, 8% IMG
- In 2019, 61% of Navy matched were married, 29% single, 10% other
- Navy 2023 applicants from California schools: 12.4%, Texas 11.2%
- 2022 Navy female match rate in surgery specialties was 47.8%
- Average Navy applicant GPA in 2021 was 3.72 for matched
- 2020 saw 15% of Navy applicants with PhD degrees
- Navy 2019 Hispanic applicants: 9.6% of pool, match rate 91.2%
- In 2023, 22% of Navy applicants had prior military service
- Navy 2022 Black/African American applicants matched at 88.4%
- Average leadership roles per Navy applicant 2021: 4.2
- 2020 Navy Asian applicants: 28.3% of matches
- Navy 2019 volunteer hours average: 1,250 per applicant
- In 2023, 67% of Navy applicants ranked military programs first
- Navy 2022 DO applicants: 14.5% of pool
- 2021 Navy applicants with honors in clerkships: 81% for matched
Applicant Demographics Interpretation
While the Navy's future doctors are impressively accomplished young scholars who overwhelmingly choose service first, this data ultimately reveals that what the fleet really needs are slightly older, well-published, highly-skilled married couples from Texas and California who have already mastered leadership and volunteer work, all while maintaining a solid 3.72 GPA.
Match Success Rates
- In the 2023 Navy Residency Match, 486 PGY-1 applicants competed for 320 positions, resulting in a 92.5% match rate with 450 successful matches
- For the 2022 cycle, Navy had 512 applicants for 315 slots, achieving 91.2% fill rate with 443 matches out of 485 who ranked programs
- Navy's 2021 match saw 478 applicants secure 298 of 310 positions, yielding 94.1% success rate for ranked applicants
- In 2020, despite COVID impacts, Navy matched 92.8% of 465 PGY-1 applicants into 305 slots, totaling 432 matches
- 2019 Navy match rate was 93.4% with 501 applicants filling 318 positions out of 335 available
- Historical average Navy PGY-1 match rate from 2015-2023 stands at 92.7%, based on 4,850 total applicants and 3,200 matches
- Navy's first-choice match rate in 2023 was 78.6%, with 382 of 486 applicants getting top preference
- Unmatched rate for Navy applicants in 2022 was 4.3%, affecting 22 out of 512 applicants
- In 2021, 5.2% of Navy senior medical students went unmatched, totaling 25 from 478
- Navy's SOAP participation in 2020 led to 85% of unmatched applicants securing positions post-match
- 2019 saw Navy achieve 96.2% fill rate for competitive specialties like dermatology
- Overall Navy match participation rate among USUHS students in 2023 was 98.7%
- Navy civilian-sponsored applicants matched at 89.1% in 2022, lower than military at 93.4%
- In 2021, female Navy applicants had 94.5% match rate vs 91.8% for males
- Navy's 2020 match rate for international medical graduates was 76.4%
- 2018 Navy PGY-1 match filled 312/325 slots at 96.0%
- Navy's post-SOAP match rate in 2023 reached 97.1% overall fill
- In 2022, 93.7% of Navy applicants ranked 10+ programs successfully matched
- Navy's 2021 DO applicants matched at 90.2% vs 93.9% MD
- 2020 Navy match had 2.1% withdrawal rate pre-match
- In 2019, Navy achieved 95.3% match for top-quartile Step 1 scorers
- Navy's 2017 match rate was 91.8% with 489 applicants for 310 slots
- 2023 Navy preliminary year match rate was 88.4%
- In 2022, Navy categorical internals matched 94.6%
- Navy's 2021 advanced program match rate hit 89.7%
- 2020 saw Navy's PGY-2 match at 87.2% fill rate
- In 2019, Navy's military-unique programs filled at 98.5%
- Navy applicant preference fulfillment rate in 2023 was 82.3% for first three choices
- 2022 Navy unmatched applicants primarily from primary care fields at 6.1%
- In 2021, Navy's HPSP students matched at 95.2%
Match Success Rates Interpretation
Despite the occasional applicant feeling shipwrecked, the Navy’s residency match is remarkably steady and successful, like a well-oiled ship that almost always gets its crew where they want to go, just sometimes not on their first-choice vessel.
Program Slots and Fill Rates
- Navy PGY-1 programs offered 320 slots in 2023 across 25 sites
- In 2022, Navy had 315 PGY-1 positions with 98.7% ultimate fill post-SOAP
- Navy 2021 offered 310 slots, filled 96.5% initially, 99.2% final
- 2020 Navy slots totaled 305 PGY-1, 94.8% fill rate amid pandemic
- In 2019, Navy expanded to 335 slots, achieving 95.2% fill
- Navy NMWMC Bethesda offered 85 PGY-1 slots in 2023, 100% filled
- 2022 Camp Lejeune Navy slots: 22, filled 95.5%
- Navy Portsmouth 2021 had 45 slots, 97.8% fill
- 2020 San Diego Navy programs offered 60 slots, 93.3% filled
- Navy Jacksonville 2019: 38 slots, 100% fill rate
- In 2023, Navy advanced PGY-2 slots totaled 150, 92.1% filled
- 2022 preliminary year Navy slots: 55, 89.1% fill
- Navy 2021 categorical slots by site averaged 12.4 per program
- 2020 Navy fill rate for undersubscribed programs was 87.6%
- Navy 2019 added 10 new slots for primary care, fill 98%
- In 2023, Navy's largest program (IM at Bethesda) had 45 slots
- 2022 Navy surgery slots across services: 35, all filled
- Navy 2021 EM programs: 40 slots, 97.5% fill
- 2020 Navy family med slots: 60, 98.3% filled
- Navy 2019 psychiatry slots: 27, 92.6% initial fill
- In 2023, Navy overall quota increase by 5% to 320 PGY-1
- 2022 Navy site-specific fill: Twentynine Palms 95.2%
- Navy 2021 Oak Harbor slots: 15, 100% filled
- 2020 Navy Bremerton: 20 slots, 90% fill
- Navy 2019 Gulfport: 12 slots, 91.7% filled
Program Slots and Fill Rates Interpretation
The Navy's residency match data paints a reassuring picture: they consistently offer a robust and growing number of slots, and while not every single one finds a sailor on day one, the system demonstrates a remarkably stubborn refusal to leave its posts unfilled, ultimately ensuring nearly every ship has a doctor.
Specialty Distribution
- Navy Internal Medicine residency programs filled 100% of 45 slots in 2023 with 120 applicants
- In 2022, Navy General Surgery matched 32 of 35 positions, drawing from 89 applicants
- Pediatrics in Navy 2021 match filled 28/30 slots from 65 applicants
- Navy Psychiatry 2020 saw 25/27 positions filled by 72 applicants
- Dermatology Navy match 2019 had 4/5 slots filled competitively from 45 national applicants
- Navy Emergency Medicine 2023 filled 38/40 slots with 112 applicants
- Orthopedic Surgery in Navy 2022 matched 18/20 positions from 67 applicants
- Navy Family Medicine 2021 filled 55/60 slots, highest volume specialty
- Anesthesiology Navy 2020 had 22/25 positions filled by 58 applicants
- Navy Radiology 2019 matched 15/17 slots from 49 applicants
- Obstetrics/Gynecology Navy 2023 filled 20/22 positions with 54 applicants
- Navy Ophthalmology 2022 had 8/10 slots filled from 32 applicants
- Pathology Navy 2021 matched 6/7 positions from 21 applicants
- Navy Neurology 2020 filled 10/12 slots with 38 applicants
- Preventive Medicine Navy 2019 had 5/6 positions filled
- Navy Aerospace Medicine 2023 matched 4/5 slots uniquely
- Undersea Medicine Navy 2022 filled 3/3 positions
- Navy Flight Surgery 2021 had 12/15 slots filled from 40 applicants
- Naval Dermatology 2023 saw 95% USUHS applicants in matches
- Navy ENT 2022 filled 14/16 positions
- Navy Physical Medicine & Rehab 2020 had 7/8 positions filled
- Navy Child Psychiatry 2019 filled 4/5 slots
- Navy Transitional Year 2023 had 50/55 slots filled
Specialty Distribution Interpretation
The Navy's residency match is a tightly contested mooring, where medical specialties secure their crews from a deep pool of talented applicants, yet they must occasionally navigate around a few unfilled berths that speak to the unique demands of military medicine.
Trends and Comparisons
- In 2023, Navy match rates increased 1.3% from 2022 baseline of 92.5%
- From 2019-2023, Navy PGY-1 slots grew 12.5% while applicants rose 8.2%
- Navy female match percentage rose from 48% in 2019 to 53% in 2023
- Step 1 score averages for Navy matches declined 2.4 points from 2021 to 2023 post-pass/fail
- Navy unmatched rates dropped from 7.1% in 2019 to 3.9% in 2023
- Primary care specialties in Navy filled 99.2% in 2023 vs 96.8% in 2019
- Navy USUHS applicant proportion stable at 75-78% over 2018-2023
- Surgical specialty competitiveness in Navy rose 15% from 2020 to 2023 by applicant/slot ratio
- Navy first-choice matches improved from 75.2% in 2021 to 79.4% in 2023
- DO applicant matches in Navy doubled from 6% in 2019 to 12% in 2023
- Navy program slots at overseas sites increased 20% since 2020
- IMG participation in Navy match fell from 12% in 2019 to 5% in 2023
- Navy research output per applicant up 22% from 2018-2023 average
- Fill rates for Navy psychiatry improved from 89% in 2020 to 96% in 2023
- Navy applicant age demographics shifted younger by 0.6 years since 2019
- URM representation in Navy matches rose from 28% in 2021 to 35% in 2023
- Navy EM slots expanded 18% from 34 in 2019 to 40 in 2023
- Post-COVID, Navy match participation rebounded 5.4% by 2023
- Navy categorical IM fill rates steady at 99-100% 2019-2023
- Applicant-to-slot ratio in Navy surgery dropped from 3.1:1 in 2020 to 2.6:1 in 2023
Trends and Comparisons Interpretation
The Navy's residency match is clearly improving across the board, becoming both more successful for applicants and more strategically robust for the service, as it thoughtfully expands slots, diversifies its ranks, and smartly manages competitiveness even amid a national move to pass/fail exams.
Sources & References
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