ACGME Releases 2020-2021 Statistics on Graduate Medical Education Programs and Resident Physicians

Today the ACGME released its 2020-2021 Data Resource Book, the most comprehensive and reliable resource of its kind, including data on the size, scope, and distribution of graduate medical education (GME) in the US. The data in this book covers the time period July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.

ACGME Programs
During 2020-2021, there were 12,420 accredited programs of which 5,486 were specialty programs and 6,934 were subspecialty programs. Additionally, 499 programs were newly accredited during the academic year. Forty-seven programs closed or voluntarily withdrew their accreditation, and of these, 12 had one of the following: Accreditation Withdrawn or Administrative Withdrawal.

Residents and Fellows
There are 149,200 active residents and fellows in 12,420 programs. This is an increase of 4,212 from last year. Of the 149,200 active residents and fellows in ACGME-accredited programs during Academic Year 2020-2021, the majority, at 59.9 percent, graduated from Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited medical schools in the US. International medical school graduates make up 23.0 percent, while 17.0 percent are graduates of osteopathic medical schools.

“Over the last year and a half, the GME community has risen to one of its greatest challenges and continued to prioritize patients and the education of residents and fellows,” said ACGME President and CEO Thomas J. Nasca, MD, MACP. “As the world continues to unite in the fight against the pandemic, the ACGME Data Resource Book serves as an important resource for the GME community in its essential work of improving medical education and patient outcomes.”

The full 2020-2021 Data Resource Book can be found on the ACGME website. The data tables and figures provided in this year's edition include these sections: Program Accreditation, Program Characteristics, Resident Characteristics, Graduating Residents and Residents Leaving Prior to Completion, Sponsoring Institutions, Participating Sites, Program Directors and Faculty, and Program Activities.