SC Connecticut News

Medical students with disabilities are facing challenges when it comes to matching with residency programs, according to a new study conducted by Yale University. The study revealed that applicants who report a disability have lower match rates compared to their peers, particularly in surgical programs.

Lead author of the study, Mytien Nguyen, expressed concerns about the underrepresentation of physicians with disabilities in the medical field. Nguyen stated, “Lower match rates could contribute to that disparity, which ultimately has negative impacts on the field and patient care.”

The research, published in the journal JAMA, analyzed data from the National Resident Matching Program for individuals applying to residency programs in 2022 and 2023. Among the nearly 70,000 applicants, 5.9% reported having a disability. The study found a small but significant difference in match rates, with 83.2% of those not reporting disabilities successfully matching compared to 81.8% of applicants who reported a disability.

The study also highlighted disparities in match rates across different medical specialties. While some specialties showed no significant difference in match rates between the two groups, others, including otolaryngology, neurology, and pediatrics, had higher match rates for applicants with disabilities.

Notably, the study identified lower match rates for students with disabilities in general surgery (65.5%) and orthopedic surgery (58.6%) compared to those not reporting disabilities.

Nguyen emphasized the importance of addressing these disparities, stating, “It’s important for each specialty, not just surgical specialty, to think about their processes and incorporate disability as a metric to examine in addition to race, ethnicity, and sex when they’re evaluating their program’s diversity.”

Senior author Dowin Boatright suggested that specialties with higher match rates for applicants with disabilities could provide successful strategies for equitable evaluation. Boatright also pointed out the role of organizations like the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in promoting awareness and support for learners with disabilities.

The study's findings shed light on the challenges faced by medical students with disabilities in matching with residency programs and call for greater efforts to address these disparities in the medical field.