Impact of parallel planning on residency match rate success

Abstract

Background: Medical students targeting competitive specialties or those with lower competitiveness for their preferred specialty are encouraged to parallel apply to a less competitive field. The AAMC provides data on the number of applicants who parallel apply but little information exists on their match success. Objective: Our objective is to describe the success rates for students who parallel apply to more than one specialty. Methods: Following IRB exemption, a retrospective cohort study of Indiana University School of Medicine graduates from the 2021–2024 residency match cycles was conducted. ERAS data and match reports were reviewed to identify students who parallel applied to more than one specialty, determining their match outcomes. Subgroup analyses were performed based on specialty type, and descriptive statistics were reported. Results: Between 2021 and 2024, 1,411 IUSM students applied for the match, with 225 (16%) having a parallel plan; 39% of these students matched into their preferred specialty, 56% into their parallel specialty, and 5% did not match. The most common parallel plan specialties were Anesthesiology, Orthopaedic Surgery, and OBGYN. There were no statistically significant differences in parallel application rates among surgical, hospital-based, and primary care specialties. Conclusions: Our study shows that 1 in 6 students will apply to a parallel specialty, with more than half matching into their parallel plan, making it a viable strategy for those targeting competitive specialties or with lower competitiveness. We found no difference in application rates between surgical, hospital-based, and primary care specialties, emphasizing the need for individualized competitiveness guidance.