Effect of curriculum innovation on residency applications and match performance

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Family medicine is actively engaged in residency redesign, but it is unclear how curricular innovation and restructuring of residency programs will affect their performance in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). METHODS: The Preparing the Personal Physician for Practice (P⁴) Project is a residency redesign initiative of 14 family medicine residency programs. Applicant and Match data provided by P⁴ programs were analyzed to determine if Match performance improved between the pre- (2006-2007) and post-(2008-2010) P⁴ program years and were compared to national applicant and Match data obtained from Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) data and the NRMP. RESULTS: The mean number of US MD senior applicants per program increased from 53 before P⁴ to 81 after P⁴ implementation. The mean number of applicants interviewed per program increased nearly 40% in the post-P⁴ period. The mean percent of positions filled in the Match increased from 72.6% before P⁴ to 86.8% post-P⁴. Programs that implemented individualized training significantly improved the percent of positions filled in the Match compared to those that did not, 90% versus 83. CONCLUSIONS: In the family medicine P⁴ programs, innovations in residency curriculum, especially those with individualized training, appear to have a positive influence on student interest and program performance in the Match.