Psychiatry 2025: What You Really Need to Match as an IMG

Matching into Internal Medicine (Psych) as an international medical graduate (IMG) is competitive, but not impossible. With approximately 2400 positions available in the 2025 match season, Psych remains the most IMG-friendly specialty. But what separates those who match from those who don’t?
Here’s a quick breakdown of the latest 2025 season data from the NRMP, including what successful U.S. and non-U.S. IMGs had their applications.

Overall Match Landscape for Psychiatry 

• Total Psychiatry positions offered: 2388
• Total applicants who applied Patho: 3278

Total matched IMGs in PGY1 positions: 343

• U.S. IMGs matched: 153 out of 329 applicants
  
  
  

Non-U.S. IMGs matched: 190 out of 409 applicants

Bottom Line 

Psychiatry remains a competitive specialty for IMGs, with more applicants than available positions.
A total of 2,388 Psychiatry positions were offered.
3,278 applicants applied for Psychiatry, indicating a surplus of applicants.
343 IMGs (International Medical Graduates) successfully matched into PGY1 Psychiatry positions.

• Of these, U.S. IMGs had a match rate of 46.5% (153 matched out of 329).
  
• Non-U.S. IMGs had a slightly higher match rate of 46.5% (190 matched out of 409).
  

U.S. IMGs: Charting Outcomes from 2024 season for a Successful Match

Matched U.S. IMG Profile (2024 Match Report):

• Step 1 Score: 213
• Step 2 CK Score: 231
  
• Research Experiences: 2.2
  
• Publications/Presentations: 3.4
  
• Work Experiences: 3.2
• Volunteer Experiences: 3.9
• Contiguous Ranks: 5.7
• Specialties Ranked: 1.5
  
• PhD Holders: 0.8 %
  
• Other Grad Degrees: 26.6%

Quick Insights

• Step 1 Average Score: 213
  Reflects a competitive but not top-tier score. Many successful U.S. IMGs are matching with scores in the low-to-mid 210s.
  
• Step 2 CK Average Score: 231
  A stronger performance on Step 2 CK, often used to compensate for a lower Step 1. Programs weigh Step 2 CK more now that Step 1 is pass/fail.

​Research & Academic Productivity

• Research Experiences: 2.2
  
• Publications/Presentations: 3.4
  Solid academic productivity; shows involvement in research and a few outputs, which helps especially for competitive specialties or educational programs.
  

Clinical & Volunteering Exposure

• Work Experiences: 3.2
  
• Volunteer Experiences: 3.9
  Strong overall U.S. clinical and volunteer experience—key factors for demonstrating familiarity with the healthcare system and strong interpersonal skills.
  

Application Strategy

• Contiguous Ranks: 5.7
  Suggests most applicants ranked 5–6 programs in a single specialty—an important indicator of focused strategy.
  
• Specialties Ranked: 1.5
  Most matched U.S. IMGs applied to 1–2 specialties, with a stronger focus on their primary choice.
  

Advanced Degrees

• PhD Holders: 0.8%
  
• Other Graduate Degrees (e.g., MPH, MBA): 26.6%
  A quarter of matched applicants had an additional graduate degree, indicating added value from advanced credentials.

Non-U.S. IMGs: Charting Outcomes from 2024 season for a Successful Match

Matched Non-U.S. IMG Profile (2024 Match Report):

• Step 1 Score: 226
• Step 2 CK Score: 240
• Research Experiences: 4.6
• Publications/Presentations: 8.0
• Work Experiences: 4.0
• Volunteer Experiences: 2.8
• Contiguous Ranks: 6.6
• Specialties Ranked: 1.3
• PhD Holders: 1.6%
• Other Grad Degrees: 25.2%​

Key Takeaways

• Scores Still Matter: Matched candidates had moderate Step 1 (226) and relatively stronger Step 2 CK scores (240).
• Research Heavy: An average of 8 publications/presentations and ~5 research experiences underline the importance of academic productivity.
• Professional Exposure: 4 work experiences and nearly 3 volunteer activities highlight the value of broad involvement in clinical and extracurricular areas.
• Strategic Ranking: Matched applicants ranked an average of 6.6 programs contiguously, indicating the importance of strategic and sufficient ranking.
• Focused Specialty Choice: Most matched IMGs applied narrowly—only 1.3 specialties on average.
• Advanced Degrees Advantage: Around 1 in 4 had a non-MD graduate degree, suggesting a strong academic background can boost match success.

Comparing Pathology to Other IMG-Friendly Specialties

Psychiatry Compared to Others

• Scores: Psychiatry has slightly lower Step 1 and Step 2 CK averages than Internal Medicine or Neurology, but comparable to Pediatrics and better than Family Medicine.
  
• Research/Publications: Psychiatry is mid-range in research output—less demanding than Neurology/Pathology but higher than FM/Pediatrics.
  
  

IMG-Friendliness: Psychiatry is considered IMG-friendly, especially for applicants with strong clinical experience in mental health and decent USMLE performance.

Key Takeaways for Psychiatry Applicants

• USMLE: Aim for Step 1 ≥ 215 and Step 2 CK ≥ 230 to stay competitive.
  
• Research: 2–3 research experiences with ~3–4 publications is typical.
  
• Rotations: U.S. clinical experience in Psychiatry is highly valued.
  
  

Holistic Review: Psychiatry programs often emphasize interpersonal skills and understanding of mental health, so your personal statement, LORs, and clinical narratives matter a lot.

Comparing Pathology to Other IMG-Friendly Specialties

Psychiatry Highlights (vs others)

• Scores:
  
  • Equal to Pediatrics (226/240)
    
  • Lower than Internal Medicine and Neurology
    
• Research:
  
  • Psychiatry now shows very high research involvement (4.6)—close to Neurology.
    
• Publications:
  
  • At 8.0 publications, Psychiatry is publication-heavy—more than Pediatrics and FM, close to IM and Pathology.
    
• IMG-Friendliness:
  
  • Remains IMG-accessible, but this data suggests a trend toward higher competition, especially in academic centers.

Key Insights

• Psychiatry is no longer "low barrier"—it requires competitive USMLE scores, research, and publications.
  
• For IMGs targeting Psychiatry:
  
  • Aim for Step 1 ≥ 225, Step 2 CK ≥ 240
    
  • At least 3–5 research projects and