IFM | Residency Selection Improvement Initiative: Enhancing Family Medicine Recruitment and Applicant Experience

In this episode of the Inside Family Medicine podcast, AAFP Executive Vice President and CEO, Shawn Martin, speaks with a panel of family medicine leaders about the Residency Selection Improvement Initiative, or RSII, and its goal of creating a more effective, efficient and equitable residency selection process.

Guests Karen Mitchell, MD, FAAFP, AAFP Vice President of National Residency and Academic Partnerships; Grace Chen Yu, MD, FAAFP; Raj Woolever, MD, FAAFP; Saroj Misra, DO, FACOFP; and Molly Stegman, MD, discuss the challenges applicants and residency programs face as the number of family medicine programs and available positions continue to grow. They explain how inconsistent program information, compressed interview timelines and increasingly complex application strategies can contribute to unnecessary stress, uncertainty and expense.

The conversation explores RSII's four priority areas: establishing centralized and specialty-specific program information, improving the residency interview process, supporting international medical graduates and multispecialty applicants, and helping programs identify applicants who are committed to family medicine.

Panelists also discuss practical recommendations for making interview offers more transparent and predictable, expanding meaningful application review and creating stronger alignment between an applicant's values and a program's mission. The episode concludes with actionable guidance for residency programs, medical schools and applicants preparing for the next Match cycle.

Learn more about the Residency Selection Improvement Initiative and access recommendations and resources for applicants and residency programs at aafp.org/rsii.

Topics by Timestamps

00:00 Introduction 
01:01 Meet the panel 
01:42 What is the Residency Selection Improvement Initiative? 
02:49 Building RSII through collaboration 
03:41 The initiative's four priority areas 
04:43 What applicants want to know about residency programs 
05:41 Creating a centralized source for program information 
06:37 Improving the residency interview process 
08:35 Recommendations for residency interview offers 
10:08 The applicant experience during interview season 
13:13 Making the process more transparent and equitable 
13:32 Supporting international graduates and multispecialty applicants 
16:37 Identifying applicants committed to family medicine 
17:38 Aligning applicants with program missions and values 
19:55 What a better Match could look like 
21:08 Practical recommendations for residency programs 
21:54 Advice for family medicine applicants 
22:29 How medical schools can better support students 
23:01 One thing to remember about RSII 
23:47 Closing remarks and RSII resources 

Resources

• Residency Selection Improvement Initiative (RSII)

• AAFP residency initiative drives changes for 2027 Match

• AAFP launches initiative to improve family medicine Match

• RSII Interview Guidelines

• RSII Signals

• Residency Explorer™ tool

• AAFP Residency Program Resources

• AAFP Medical Student and Resident hubs

Disclaimer

Copyright 2026. AAFP. The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker's own and do not represent those of AAFP. The information presented is for general, educational, or entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal, health, financial, or other advice. AAFP makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information and is not responsible for results that may arise from its use. Consult an appropriate professional concerning your specific situation and respective governing bodies for applicable laws. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by AAFP unless specifically stated otherwise. AAFP and the AAFP logo are registered trademarks of the American Academy of Family Physicians.