Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me A Match!

Oh, come on! You had to have seen that title coming...

I speak, of course, of the residency match. And the great Yente of the entire process is the National Residency Match Program (NRMP). Ok, here goes my attempt at explaining this process.

If you recall back in September I began the process of applying for residency positions. The initial application process was mediated through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). This is an online tool that allows the applicant to assemble all necessary documents in one place and then to research and, ultimately, apply to various residency programs. Programs then invite qualified applicants to interview for their program. Interview season begins in October and lasts through January. At this point the applicant begins deciding which programs they liked, which they could tolerate, and which were less than ideal. On the other end, the residency programs do the same for their potential candidates.

Enter Yente. On February 24, programs and candidates alike submitted their Rank Order Lists (ROLs). What that means is that a list of programs/candidates is submitted in order of preference to the NRMP. Over the next few weeks, the NRMP will run the Match Algorithm, a computer program, to try and place candidates at the programs that they desire and who desire them. It's a whole big long complicated process, and it boggles my mind to try and think of it...so I won't. Suffice it to say, the idea is that each candidate and program will be hooked up with their top choices.

Once the results are finalized, candidates and programs will be notified. On March 15, the candidates will be notified whether they matched or not. Unfortunately, just because you submit a ROL does not guarantee a match. On March 18, candidates that matched will be told exactly where they were placed. This constitutes a binding contract between applicant and program. The obvious difference from the usual application process is that the candidate is not notified of acceptance from multiple institutions, then makes their ultimate choice. The time for those choices has passed, and now, come March 18, we must accept the result handed to us.

Once that is all over, information is sent, contracts are signed, and the newly chosen resident awaits the start of their post-graduate training, usually beginning July 1.

FYI