The 2025 Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Match, which concluded Dec. 31, left 71 positions unfilled across 49 programs.
In response, the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions held a town hall Dec. 15 to discuss the results with its membership.
“In the days following the 2025 Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Match, it became clear that this was not just another recruitment cycle,” read a news release shared with Becker’s Dec. 18. “The Match process worked, with applicants overwhelmingly securing positions. And yet, many programs were left with unfilled spots. That combination naturally raised questions and, in some cases, frustration. “
Program directors voiced concerns over staffing, call coverage and the sustainability of their training programs. Fellows were similarly worried about what the Match results meant for the future of the specialty, according to the release.
SCAI maintains that interventional cardiology “continues to attract trainees,” with the best available estimates suggesting that approximately 350 fellows complete interventional cardiology training each year, a number that has grown over time.
According to the release, 97% of applicants successfully matched, and other analytics shed light on discrepancies between the number of applicants. Other data points included in the Dec. 18 update were:
- 153 programs participated
- 307 fellowship positions were offered
- 244 applicants entered the Match
- 71 positions across 49 programs went unfilled
SCAI affirmed its commitment to an “all-in” culture for programs and applicants in the Match and said it will “continue to evaluate the composition of the workforce, including PCI volumes, regional trends, types of procedures performed, and projected needs across the United States, and use this data to inform our interventional cardiology programs. “
