Purpose Radiation oncology has been facing an evolving crisis in recruitment over several years and the events of 2020-2021 will certainly add to that crisis with the urgency of addressing systemic racial injustice amidst a global pandemic The purpose of this study is to examine applicant data to gain insight on residency match trends and evaluate these findings within the backdrop of a novel match year Methods National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) data between 2009 and 2020 was assessed for the number of applicants, programs and positions available, number of ranked applicants needed to fill positions, and successfully matched applicant data Additionally, Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) data was evaluated for race/ethnicity identification among applicants Results The number of applicants who ranked radiation oncology as their preferred specialty has declined for three consecutive years from 223 in 2017 to 155 in 2020 In 2020 the applicant-to-position ratio was at an all-time low at 0 82 and the unmatched position rate rose to 18 5% The percentage of Black or African American applicants applying to radiation oncology has also declined to 4 9% while this population represents 7 2% of all applicants The number of ranked applicants needed to fill the available radiation oncology PGY2 positions increased from 4 0 in 2010 to 6 0 in 2020 Conclusion Declining interest in radiation oncology among applicants, and an even further decline of Black applicants, along with the challenges of interview and travel restrictions during the pandemic provide heightened concern for this year’s match Innovative efforts to expand the reach of radiation oncology to prospective applicants is needed to engage diverse, bright, and committed students for the continued progress of radiation oncology and most importantly, our patients
Residency match trends, racial disparity, and matching amidst a pandemic