Thoracic Surgery (Integrated) Has 13% More Applicants Than Four Years Ago
On the day programs opened ERAS 2027 applications, 199 people had applied to thoracic surgery, against 176 at the same point of ERAS 2023. Programs interviewed 30% of the applicants who signaled them and 22% of those who didn't.
By Rezumab · Data as of
Below are five seasons of AAMC ERAS data for thoracic surgery: who applies, how many applications they send, how signals are used and how often programs interviewed applicants who did and didn’t signal them, split by MD, DO and international medical graduate.
The international-graduate share of applicants rose 4 points
In ERAS 2026, 205 people applied to thoracic surgery. The pool was 52.7% MD, 3.9% DO and 43.4% international graduates. 3.4% applied to no other specialty, a count that treats required preliminary and transitional years as another specialty.
Applicants are up 14.4% from the same day last year
| Season | All | MD | DO | Intl. grads | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERAS 2027so far, vs. same day of 2026 | ▲+14.4% | ▲+14.6% | – | ▼−1.5% | ▲+8.3% |
| ERAS 2026vs. 2025 | ▼−13.4% | ▼−13.4% | – | ▼−4.3% | ▼−14.1% |
| ERAS 2025vs. 2024 | ▲+10.4% | ▲+12.3% | – | ▲+9.5% | ▲+15.3% |
| ERAS 2024vs. 2023 | ▲+3.4% | ▼−3.6% | – | ▲+12.5% | ▼−2.7% |
The median applicant sends 25 applications, down from 30
By type in ERAS 2026: MDs 31.5, DOs 10.5, international graduates 10. The middle half of applicants sent between 7 and 36. The overall median is the fourth lowest of 23 specialties covered here.
On the programs’ side, the median thoracic surgery program received 66 applications in ERAS 2026, against 90 in ERAS 2023.
Most applications still arrive without a signal
In ERAS 2027, 98% of thoracic surgery applicants used signals, and the median signaling applicant used 4.
At the median program, 15% of applicants had signaled it, up from 11% in ERAS 2026. The median program received 20 signals; the busiest tenth received 37 or more.
Signals per applicant by season: 2024: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2026: 3 · 2027: 4.
Unsignaled applicants still get interviews
Show as table
| Did not signal | Signaled | |
|---|---|---|
| All applicants | 22% | 30% |
| MD | 32% | 50% |
| Intl. graduates | 0% | 0% |
At 70% of programs, signaled applicants were interviewed at a higher rate than those who didn’t signal. Applying beyond your signals still pays in thoracic surgery; a signal raises the odds but isn’t required.
These are last season’s rates. Track who is sending thoracic surgery interview invites this season.
International graduates who signaled were rarely interviewed
An MD who signaled a thoracic surgery program was interviewed at 50% of the median program, the ninth lowest of 21 specialties with interview data. The AAMC didn’t report a DO figure (under 50 DO applicants).
An international graduate who signaled (0%) still did worse than an MD who didn’t (32%).
These are outcomes by group, not the effect of belonging to one. The groups differ in exam timing, visa needs and U.S. clinical experience, and none of that is controlled here.
The most common backup is general surgery, chosen by 89%
| Also applied to, ERAS 2026 | Share of applicants |
|---|---|
| General Surgery (categorical) | 89% |
| General Surgery (preliminary)PGY-1 year | 38% |
| Vascular Surgery - Integrated | 18% |
| Internal Medicine (categorical) | 14% |
| Family Medicine | 8% |
| Internal Medicine (primary care) | 8% |
Rows marked PGY-1 year are preliminary and transitional programs, which specialties that start at PGY-2 require. Categorical programs in another specialty are the real backup plan.