In the early to mid-1900s, residency positions were offered to medical students as early as the third year. The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) was created to streamline this process and set dates when offers from hospitals could be made to students.

Approximately 25,000 applicants, of which 15,000 are U.S. medical students, compete for almost 23,000 residency positions. Applicants apply to hospital programs of interest and hospitals select candidates to interview.

In February, both the applicants and the hospitals submit a rank order list of their preferences. Applicants are then matched with the hospital program highest on their rank order list, securing the applicant a position. This occurs in mid-March, and applicants learn in which residency program they will spend the next three to seven years of their lives.

How the Match Works

The National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) is a computerized match designed to provide training programs with their highest ranked applicants, while at the same time enabling students to obtain positions at the highest choice programs to which they’re acceptable. This theoretically results in a process that is both fair and efficient.

An applicant who certifies a rank order list enters into a binding commitment to accept the position if a match occurs. Failure to honor that commitment is a violation of the Match Participation Agreement signed during registration and triggers an investigation by the NRMP. If the violation is confirmed, the applicant may be barred from future matches for up to three years, and the NRMP will notify the applicant's medical school, the American Board of Medical Specialties, and all programs on the applicant's rank order list.

In mid-August, application materials for the Match are available online from the NRMP. You MUST be registered with the NRMP to be able to rank your programs prior to Match Day.

Not everyone will match to a position. Applicants will be notified via email the Monday prior to Match Day whether or not they matched. If students did not match, students need to work with their advisors and the Office of Academic Affairs to plan a strategy.

It is not true that only "bad" programs do not fill. If it possible for any program not to fill if their rank list is at odds with the applicants who ranked it or it too short. There are likely to be several programs with unfilled positions after the Match you will be desirable. In some cases, it may mean accepting a position in another specialty as a second choice or were considering for the purpose of preparing for the next year's Match. The Office of Academic Affairs, with information provided by the NRMP, is prepared to help locate open positions for students who do not initially match.

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