IMG Representation by Specialty: 2026 NRMP Results and Program Level Evidence

Many international medical graduates (IMGs) search for the easiest residency programs to enter. However, no specialty is easy, so this analysis asks a more precise question: in which specialties are IMGs best represented today? To answer it, we compare three kinds of evidence for ten specialties. First, we use the 2026 NRMP Main Residency Match results. Second, we use the visa policies of individual programs. Third, we use the residents who are training in those programs now.

We use the phrase “most open to IMGs” on purpose. A specialty can take many IMGs and still screen each application on Scores, US Clinical Experience, Visa and Year of Graduation before holistic review begins. In other words, openness describes the structure of a specialty. It is not a prediction about any one applicant.

Methods: measuring the easiest residency programs for IMGs

To test which residency programs are easiest for IMGs to enter, we used four measures. Each one has a stated numerator and denominator, so each figure can be checked.

1. NRMP 2026 share filled by IMGs. The numerator is the number of U.S. citizen IMGs plus non-U.S. citizen IMGs who matched to PGY-1 positions in the specialty. The denominator is the number of PGY-1 positions filled. The figures come from Table 2 of the NRMP Advance Data Tables, and we checked them against Tables 7E and 7F.^{1, 2}

2. Visa policy. The numerator is the number of programs that accept J-1 physicians, sponsor H-1B visas, or do both. The denominator is the number of programs with a recorded visa policy. ECFMG sponsors the J-1 visa for physicians, so for J-1 this measure means the program accepts it.³ Programs with no recorded policy are left out.

3. IMGs training now. The numerator is the number of programs with at least one current resident from an international medical school. The denominator is the number of programs with at least one current resident on record. Alumni are not counted.⁴

4. Medical school countries. This is the number of countries where the medical schools of current residents are located, including the United States. The top three are the countries with a graduate in the most programs. We count programs, not individual residents. Also, the count describes where residents studied medicine, not their citizenship. Rosters that do not name a medical school are left out.⁴

Scope. The analysis covers active programs in the IMGPrep program database. The data were taken on November 6, 2026.

Results: IMG representation in ten specialties, 2026

Table notes: rows are sorted by the NRMP share. NRMP figures are PGY-1 positions, and Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and General Surgery use the categorical positions. Program level percentages count only programs with the relevant data on file. Sources are listed under References.

How to read the three measures together

The national result and the program level results do not always agree. For this reason, the differences are useful. When a specialty has a high NRMP share and a high visa share, it is open to IMGs nationally and at the program level. When it has a high NRMP share but a low visa share, it is open mainly to applicants who do not need a visa. In practice, that means U.S. citizens and permanent residents who studied medicine abroad. Family Medicine is the clearest example: IMGs filled 33.7% of its positions, but only 48.2% of its programs accept J-1 or sponsor H-1B.

The roster measure adds a check on current reality. If IMGs filled many positions but few programs list one, the positions sit in a small number of programs. Orthopedic Surgery shows this pattern, because 41 of the 182 programs with roster data list an IMG today. On the other hand, when most programs list IMGs, the opening is spread across the specialty.

Finally, the country measure shows breadth. A specialty with many countries has taken graduates from a wide range of schools. The top three countries show where the largest groups come from, which is a useful first comparison with your own school.

Common questions about the easiest residency programs for IMGs

Which residency programs are the easiest for IMGs to match?

No specialty is easy, so we do not rank the easiest residency programs by difficulty. Instead, we rank specialties by how well IMGs are represented. On that measure, Internal Medicine, Pathology and Family Medicine lead the table. Pathology also has the highest visa share, at 96.5% of programs with visa data. Even so, your chances still depend on your scores, US clinical experience, visa status and year of graduation.

Is Internal Medicine IMG friendly?

Internal Medicine had the highest IMG share in the table, at 42.3% in 2026. In addition, 77.6% of its programs with visa data accept J-1 or sponsor H-1B, and 91.5% of its programs with roster data list at least one IMG today. Our Internal Medicine strategy guide covers how IMGs approach this specialty.

Is Psychiatry IMG friendly?

In 2026, IMGs filled 16.3% of Psychiatry positions. Meanwhile, 71.4% of Psychiatry programs with visa data accept J-1 or sponsor H-1B, and 72.1% of programs with roster data list at least one IMG today. The IMG Psychiatry match guide explains how signals and screening work in this specialty.

Can IMGs match into surgical specialties?

Some do, although the numbers are lower. IMGs filled 11.8% of General Surgery positions and 1.0% of Orthopedic Surgery positions in 2026. For this reason, applicants who target these fields usually need a program list built around programs that have trained IMGs before.

Limits of ranking the easiest residency programs

Any ranking of the easiest residency programs has limits, and this one is no exception. First, a national share describes a specialty, not a program. Second, visa policy can differ between J-1 and H-1B within one program, and it can change from year to year. Third, roster data describes residents in training now, so it lags the most recent Match. Finally, program level percentages use only programs with data on file. Therefore, confirm visa policy and eligibility with each program before you apply.

Beyond the easiest residency programs: your own program list

A list of the easiest residency programs tells you where IMGs are most often accepted. However, it does not tell you which programs have taken graduates of your school. That is the more useful question, and the Customized Residency Programs List answers it. It shows which programs in your specialty took graduates of your school, filtered by your Scores, US Clinical Experience, Visa and Year of Graduation. You can also browse IMG friendly residency programs and IMG friendly states.

References

1. National Resident Matching Program. Advance Data Tables: 2026 Main Residency Match, Tables 2, 7E and 7F. Washington, DC: NRMP; 2026.
2. National Resident Matching Program. Results and Data: 2026 Main Residency Match. Washington, DC: NRMP; 2026.
3. ECFMG. Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program (EVSP): About EVSP. Philadelphia, PA: ECFMG.
4. IMGPrep. Program database and resident rosters, active programs in ten specialties. Data taken November 6, 2026.

Related Resources