Record number of DOs secure residency positions through 2026 Match

Osteopathic medical students and graduates achieve historic success in the 2026 National Resident Matching Program.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 12:03am by Ben Kaplan

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Osteopathic medical students and graduates once again achieved record-breaking success in the 2026 National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Match, marking the fourth consecutive year of growth in residency placements for DOs. A total of 7,928 DO seniors matched, reflecting a 93.2% match rate for the 8,503 DO seniors who participated, a 0.6% increase from last year. Additionally, 410 graduates of osteopathic medical schools secured positions.

Why it matters

The continued increase in DO Match success is a powerful endorsement of the osteopathic philosophy and education. Program directors across the country are actively seeking DOs because they recognize the value they bring across all areas of medicine. This demonstrates the strong demand for osteopathic physicians to help meet critical workforce needs.

The details

A record number of 355 graduating osteopathic fourth-year students and 96 graduates secured residency positions through the military match. Candidates matched into a wide spectrum of residency programs spanning 37 specialties. A total of 4,026 DO seniors matched into primary care programs, including family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics, while the remaining 3,902 osteopathic medical students matched into placements across a broad range of specialties.

  • The 2026 Main Residency Match® was the largest in the organization's history, with over 53,000 applicants registered and more than 44,000 residency positions offered.

The players

Kathleen S. Creason

CEO of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

Robert G.G. Piccinini

President of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

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What they’re saying

“With each successive Match cycle, it becomes even clearer that DO graduates are among the most sought-after physicians in the country,”

— Kathleen S. Creason, CEO, American Osteopathic Association

“The continued increase in DO Match success is a powerful endorsement of our osteopathic philosophy and education. Program directors across the country are actively seeking DOs because they recognize the value we bring across all areas of medicine,”

— Robert G.G. Piccinini, President, American Osteopathic Association

What’s next

Final placement numbers will be available in May.

The takeaway

The record-breaking success of osteopathic medical students and graduates in the 2026 NRMP Match demonstrates the growing demand for DOs across the full spectrum of medical specialties, reflecting the value they bring through their distinctive whole-person approach to patient care.