The 10 Shortest Residencies - 2026 List | Length & Overview‍

What Is the Shortest Time to Become a Specialized Doctor In the US?

The fastest path to specializing in medicine takes 11 years after high school:

• Four years of undergrad
• Four years of medical school
• Three years of residency

You can reduce the total time by a year or two through an accelerated BS/MD program, and you could start seeing patients on your own by age 28 or 29.

However, that timeline only applies to the three shortest residencies:

1. Family medicine
2. Internal medicine
3. Pediatrics

All three specialties require only three years of post-medical school education, excluding a pre-residency fellowship.

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FAQs: Shortest Residencies

Which Residency Is the Shortest?

Family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics are the shortest residencies, lasting three years. All three are primary care specialties that allow you to practice independently immediately after training without a mandatory fellowship. Emergency medicine and PM&R also offer three-year tracks, though some programs in those specialties run four years.

Which Is the Easiest Residency?

Family medicine is consistently the ‘easiest’ and least competitive residency to match into. It has the lowest mean Step 2 CK score among matched applicants (244), the lowest ratio of US MD seniors per position (0.28), and a 2024 fill rate of just 87.8%, meaning over 12% of spots went unfilled during the Match.

What Type of Doctor Takes the Shortest Time to Become?

A family medicine physician or general pediatrician can begin independent practice in 11 years after high school. Students who enter an accelerated BS/MD program can reduce the undergraduate and medical school timelines to six or seven years, reaching independent practice in as few as nine to 10 years.

Can You Become a Doctor With Only a 3-Year Residency Program?

Yes, a three-year residency in family medicine, internal medicine, or pediatrics fully qualifies you to sit for board certification, obtain an unrestricted medical license, and practice independently. You are a fully credentialed attending physician upon completion of those three years. Fellowship training beyond residency is optional for these specialties and only necessary if you want to subspecialize in a specific area like cardiology, gastroenterology, or neonatology.

Which Short Residency Program Offers the Highest Salary After Graduation?

Anesthesiology has the highest average post-residency compensation of $523,277, followed by dermatology at $508,401. Both require four total years of residency education. Emergency medicine ranks third at $411,133 with just three to four years of residency.

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Dr. Akhil Katakam was the original author of this article. Snippets of his work may remain.

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