Program Directors Association Guide for Residency Applicants

The Program Directors Association Guide for Residency Applicants is a collaborative effort between the Organization of Program Directors Association (OPDA), Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and American Medical Association (AMA). Its purpose is to provide specialty- specific guidance, application information, and resources. This guide outlines specialty-level guidance and policies for applicants to Family Medicine programs.

Specialty responses in this guide were provided through a standardized web form. The corresponding questions from that form are referenced in the footnotes. If a specialty indicated "No specialty recommendation to programs," it means the specialty does not provide guidance on how programs should approach that aspect of the selection process.

Please note that not all aspects of the residency application process are standardized at the specialty level. Applicants should review individual program requirements in Residency Explorer™ tool, FREIDA™, or on program websites.

Family Medicine Specialty Guidance for the 2025–2026 Cycle

 Application Process

Additional Deadline Guidance: None noted.

 Match Platform

Family Medicine participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

Additional Guidance: None noted.

 Program Signals

Additional Guidance: None noted.

1 By when should applicants submit applications to programs to be considered for interview?: Date applications are released to programs; Universal interview offer date for the specialty; Other

2 Is it acceptable for applicants to submit some application materials after the initial application?: Yes; No

Additional Guidance: Osteopathic applicants to Family Medicine residency should neither be required nor made to feel required to undergo licensing examinations other than the osteopathic (COMLEX-USA) licensure exam process.

 Letters of Recommendation (LORs)

Additional Guidance for Specialty-Specific Letters: Individual Family Medicine programs may have different requirements for the number of letters of recommendation or by whom they should be authored. Please check with individual programs for their requirements for letters of recommendation.

     Guidance for Transitional Year/Prelim Programs: None noted.

     Guidance for IMG Applicants: None noted.

3 By when must an applicant submit a USMLE Step 2 CK or COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE score to be considered for interview?: Initial application deadline; Other

4 By when must an applicant submit a USMLE Step 2 CK or COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE score to be ranked?: Initial application deadline; Prior to rank order list opening

5 Does your specialty require that DO applicants submit USMLE scores in addition to COMLEX-USA scores?: Yes, USMLE scores are required for all applicants; No, USMLE scores are not required for DO applicants

6 Which specialty-specific letters of recommendation should an applicant submit to a program? (Select all that apply): Specialty-specific standardized letter(s) of evaluation (e.g., SLOE, SEL, SLOR); Letter from a Chair; Letter from someone in the specialty (e.g., faculty, attending); Other letters

       Additional Supplemental Application Materials: None noted.

 Away Rotations 

Additional Guidance: Family Medicine encourages each applicant to arrange a fourth-year rotation schedule that allows them to confirm their interest in Family Medicine and gain broad experience caring for people of all ages across a variety of health care settings.

 Interviews 

Additional Guidance: Individual Family Medicine programs may host interviews that are virtual or in-person. Some programs may choose to offer both. Programs should indicate this on their website or informational materials.

7 Does the specialty expect or strongly recommend that applicants complete away rotations in the specialty?: No; Strongly recommended; Expected

8 Which interview format does the specialty recommend that programs use? (Select all that apply): Virtual; In-person; Hybrid