Mexico’s Medical Residency Exams Begin

The Mexican Ministry of Health announced that the 49th edition of the National Examination for Medical Residency Applicants (ENARM) 2025 will take place on Sept. 23–25. The exam will be conducted in two daily sessions with participation from 50,490 medical professionals across the country.

To ensure the security, integrity, and confidentiality of the evaluation, six versions of the exam have been securely loaded onto tablets, which are now safeguarded at the facilities of the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA).

The evaluation will be held at strategically located venues across four states including Guanajuato, Puebla, Michoacan, and Yucatan. ENARM serves as a critical step in specialized medical training in Mexico. The exam covers entry into 27 directly recognized medical specialties nationwide.

The Ministry acknowledges the dedication and preparation of all participants, highlighting their role in strengthening Mexico’s healthcare system. Officials extended best wishes to candidates, stressing that their commitment will contribute to elevating medical care quality across the country.

Over the past six years, the number of available medical residency positions nearly doubled, from 8,000 in 2018 to over 18,799 in 2024, reports AMIR by Healthcademia. Despite this growth, demand continues to exceed capacity. In 2024, only 42% of applicants secured a residency, highlighting the need to expand specialist training, explains Eduardo Clark, Deputy Minister of Health. According to INEGI, 84% of private-sector doctors were specialists in 2024, compared with 11.9% general practitioners and 2.1% residents, underlining the importance of training more specialists to strengthen Mexico’s healthcare system.