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Frequently Asked Questions
Fellowship: Applicants & Program
The following categories contain common questions about
the NRMP matching process for fellowship applicants and program directors.
If you do not find the information you seek, please review the Match
Participation Agreement.
I.
Match Registration
What is the "new" R3 system, and which version
of the R3 system should I use?
I received an email about the "new" R3 system.
How do I use the token number I was assigned?
Why does NRMP want my e-mail address? What if I have
not received any email from the NRMP?
How will NRMP be using Facebook and Twitter? Do I need
to have accounts?
How are program tracks used in the R3 system?
II. Match
Ranking
I would like to participate in the Match as a couple
with my partner. Can that be done and will the NRMP link our rank order
lists?
How late can I add a new program or change my program's
quota?
Can program directors make quota changes, additions,
and withdrawals in the R3 system?
Can I ask applicants where else they are applying?
Can I make changes or additions to my rank order list
(ROL) after I certify it? If so, how quickly is my list updated, and are
previous versions of my ROL maintained in the R3 system?
Will I be able to print a copy of my rank order list
(ROL) before or after submission?
How will I know that NRMP received my certified rank
order list (ROL)?
How does the NRMP know when my rank order list (ROL)
is ready to be used in the Match?
Is there a limit to the number of ranks I can submit?
Can anyone else see my rank order list (ROL)?
III. Match
Results
How will I know if I matched to a program?
What happens if I do not match to a position?
How will I know if my program(s)
filled? What happens if my program does not fill?
IV.
Post-Match: Applicants
I matched to a program, but I just learned that I am
ineligible to begin training. What should I do?
What happens if I match to a program and I decide not
to accept the position? Can my program issue me a waiver?
What happens if I match to a program and begin training
but then decide I want to leave the program to change specialties and/or
accept another position?
I've signed a contract outside the Match. What should
I do?
What is the process if I am investigated for a violation
of the Match Participation Agreement?
How can I learn whether an institution or program I
am interested in ranking has been the subject of a violation investigation
conducted by the NRMP?
V. Post-Match:
Institutions & Programs
How do I know if an applicant has a binding commitment
to another NRMP Match-participating program?
A non-Match-participating program
at my institution offered a position to an applicant who has a concurrent
year match to another program. Is my institution liable?
An applicant has contacted me about an open position
in my program. What should my first step be?
What do I do if an applicant who has a binding commitment
to my program does not show up for training?
Can I offer a position to an applicant who has been
released by his/her matched program? What about releasing an applicant
from my own program?
How long must a matched applicant remain in my program?
What is the process if I am investigated for a violation
of the Match Participation Agreement?
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What is the "new" R3 system, and
which version of the R3 system should I use?
NRMP has launched a new and improved version of the Registration,
Ranking, and Results (R3) system. The new software
will be used for all NRMP Matches except the 2012 Medical Specialties
Matching Program and the 2013 Main Residency Match, both
of which will transition next year. The current version of the R3
system still is in use, so designated institutional officials with programs
in multiple Matches must register and activate programs in both versions
of the R3 system.
To determine which version of the R3 system you should
use, go to www.nrmp.org, and select "Register/Login"
from the top navigation bar. The Register/Login page lists the 2013 Main
Residency Match and Fellowship Matches in the Specialties
Matching Service. All open Matches have a hyperlink to the correct
version of the R3 system, so simply click on your desired
Match to launch the registration process. Fellowship Matches that are
not hyperlinked are not yet open for registration. Please see the schedule
of dates for details.
I received an email about the "new"
R3 system. How do I use the token number I was assigned?
First-time users of the new version of the R3 system receive
via email a one-time-use token number that must be changed to a username
and password of the user's own choosing. To access the R3
system:
- Use the link embedded in the token assignment email, or go to www.nrmp.org,
select Register/Login from the top navigation bar, and select the desired
Match.
- Under Option 3 on the login page - Token Redemption - enter your assigned
token number and email address.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to create a unique username and
password of your choice.
Why does NRMP want my e-mail address?
What if I have not received any email from the NRMP?
E-mail is the primary mode of communication used by NRMP, so be sure
your e-mail address is current in your personal profile in the Registration,
Ranking, and Results (R3) system. To change it, log into the R3 system
with your AAMC ID and Password, go to Update My Profile, click Edit, enter
the corrected e-mail address, and click Submit.
Many e-mail messages from NRMP are sent simultaneously to multiple applicants.
Some e-mail providers use filters to ensure that users do not receive
spam (junk e-mail). In some cases, those filters can prevent NRMP e-mails
from getting through to participants.
The good news: the majority of providers that offer such filters generally
provide the user with the option to turn the filter on or off. Other providers
make a "junk mail file" or a "bulk mail folder" that
includes all messages sent to the user but identifies multiple-addressee
e-mails. Our e-mail address, support@nrmp.org,
should be added to your personal contact, address book, "Safe",
or "People I Know" (for AOL users) list. For instance, if Hotmail
sends an NRMP e-mail message to your Junk Mail box, you can tell Hotmail
to add support@nrmp.org to your
Safe List or to send it to your inbox.
If you are not receiving e-mail from NRMP and your provider does not offer
such options, we recommend that you either contact your provider to determine
the best way to access such messages or consider using an additional or
replacement provider during your matching process for your primary e-mail
address.
How will NRMP be using Facebook and Twitter?
Do I need to have accounts?
The NRMP will be posting and tweeting the latest news, policy information,
and deadline reminders about the Main Residency Match and
Specialties Matching Service. We will not be inundating
you with posts and tweets, but rather aiming for any way to reach our
users. The NRMP is on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TheNRMP
and its Twitter account is https://twitter.com/#!/TheNRMP.
"Like" us on Facebook and "Follow" us on Twitter!
We encourage users to post their questions and comments to our social
media sites, and we want our social media sites to be interactive and
helpful for you. Remember to use good judgment when posting comments and
questions. Posts including any identifying information will be deleted
immediately to protect the individuals' privacy. In addition, posts that
are obscene, hateful, threatening, or abusive will be removed. The NRMP
reserves the right to remove any post at any time from our social media
sites.
The NRMP will continue to send email announcements and reminders to all
users so you are not obligated to register with Facebook or Twitter to
stay current on Match developments. The NRMP also posts the latest information
to www.nrmp.org.
How are program tracks used in the R3 system?
Tracks within the R3 system are used by institutions to differentiate
between different program options within the same program and specialty.
For example, tracks can be used to:
- Designate categorical, preliminary (PGY-1 only), advanced (PGY-2 beginning
the year after the Match), and physician-reserved (PGY-2 beginning in
the year of the Match) positions
- Distinguish between clinical and research options
- Highlight a program that operates on separate campuses or in different
geographic areas
When using tracks, program directors should:
- Create a separate rank order list (ROL) of applicants for each track
(and not one ROL aggregating all candidates);
- Place in each track the predetermined number of positions to be filled
in the Match, being sure not to exceed the total number of positions
in the program; and
- Set up a reversion in the R3 system to guard against the program being
unfilled.
Each program track title should describe the type of training in a manner
that distinguishes it from other tracks in the same institution and specialty.
I would like to participate in the Match
as a couple with my partner. Can that be done and will the NRMP link our
rank order lists?
The NRMP accommodates applicants who wished to be matched as a couple.
Each partner of a couple must enroll individually in the Match and indicate
in the R3 system that they want to participate as a couple.
The NRMP allows the couple to form pairs of choices on their primary rank
order lists, which are then considered in order of preference when the
matching algorithm is processed. The couple will match to the most preferred
pair of programs where each partner has been offered a position. The algorithm
considers only a couple's primary rank order lists when attempting to
find a match and does NOT treat a couple's supplemental rank order lists
as a unit. Once a couple has obtained a match from their primary rank
order lists, the algorithm searches the supplemental rank order lists
attached to the primary list match and attempts to place applicants in
their most preferred program. Consequently, couples' supplemental rank
order lists should be assigned to programs on their primary lists based
upon the geographic locations of the programs. For more information about
couples, click here.
How late can I add a new program or change
my program's quota?
You can add a program and change program quotas up until the program
Quota Change Deadline. After that date, quotas can only be changed in
cases of extreme emergency, (i.e., loss of funding, loss of accreditation,
closing of institution) or to accommodate the results of an earlier match.
In such cases, programs must request in writing an exception to the Quota
Change Deadline.
Can program directors make quota changes, additions,
and withdrawals in the R3 system?
Program changes can be made in the R3 system by the program
director, but they must be approved on the Approve Changes screen by the
institutional official. Program quotas cannot be changed after the quota
change deadline except in cases of extreme emergency. Please check the
schedule of dates
for the applicable Quota Change Deadline.
Can I ask applicants where else they are applying?
Section
6.0 of the Match Participation Agreement states that applicants are
free at all times to keep confidential the names or identities of programs
to which they have or may apply. A program director may request the names
of other programs, but it is a violation of the Agreement to require applicants
to disclose that information.
Can I make changes or additions to to my rank
order list (ROL) after I certify it? If so, how quickly is my list updated,
and are previous versions of my ROL maintained in the R3 system?
Yes. Your rank order list can be modified or re-ordered any number of
times up until 9:00 p.m. eastern time on the Rank Order List Deadline.
Programs in the middle of a session at 9:00 p.m. will not be able to
complete their session and will be forced off the server. Participants
are advised not to wait until the last minute to enter their ROLs so as
to avoid any problems at the deadline.
If you change your certified ROL by adding, moving, or deleting a program,
the change is saved immediately and the previous rank order list is deleted
from the R3 system. You must recertify your ROL again for
it to be used in The Match. No changes can be made to your rank order
list after the Rank Order List Deadline. The NRMP will not add, delete,
or in any way modify your rank order list.
Will I be able to print a copy of my rank
order list (ROL) before or after submission?
OYes. You can print your ROL at any step during the process by using
the web browser button. You also can open a printer-friendly version of
your ROL by using the View/Print ROL link that appears on the My Rank
Order List page under the Options heading.
How will I know that NRMP received my certified
rank order list (ROL)?
When you certify your ROL, the NRMP will send you an e-mail confirmation
that includes the number of applicants on your list.
How does NRMP know when my rank order list
(ROL) is ready to be used in the Match?
When you have entered all of your ranks, you must certify your ROL.
Click the red Certify List button. You will then be asked to enter your
password. If you make changes to your ROL, you must re-certify it. A Status
of CERTIFIED on the Program Options Page is the indication that
you have finished your rank order list.
Is there a limit to the number of ranks I can submit?
Technically, there is no limit for applicants. However, there is a $30
charge per program ranked for each program over the first 20 on an applicant's
rank order list (ROL). For example, a list of 50 would cost an additional
$900. For each partner of a couple, there is $30 charge for each additional
"unique" program ranked over the first 30.
There is no limit and no extra charge to programs for entering their
ROL
Can anyone else see my rank order list (ROL)?
You are the only person, other than NRMP staff, who can access your ROL
unless you give your AAMC ID and password to someone else. Your ROL is
limited to need-to-know NRMP staff.
How will I know if I matched to a program?
Beginning at 12:00 noon eastern time on Match Day, applicants may use
their AAMC ID and password to access the Registration, Ranking and
Results (R3) system and
- find out whether they matched and, if so, to which program, and
- view associated reports.
What happens if I do not match to a position?
Applicants who learn at 12:00 noon eastern time on Match Day that they
did not match to a program can access the List of Unfilled Programs that
displays available positions for unmatched applicants. Sharing Match information
from the R3 system, including the List of Unfilled Programs, with individuals
not authorized to receive it or posting Match information to any web site
or non-NRMP-related matching service is a violation of the Match Participation
Agreement.
Applicants also can access the following documents that are posted to
the R3 system at 12:00 noon eastern time on Match Day:
- Match Outcome for All Programs by State, displays the number of positions
offered and filled for all programs in the Match.
- Match Results Statistics, provides detailed statistical information
about the programs, positions, and applicants in the Match.
How
will I know if my program(s) filled? What happens if my program does not
fill?
Beginning at 12:00 noon eastern time on Match Day, program directors
and institutional officials may use their AAMC ID and password to access
the R3 system and obtain Match results and associated reports.
Program directors can learn who matched to their programs, as well as
the number of unfilled positions, if any, by accessing the Confidential
Roster of Matched Applicants found under the "My Reports"
option on the left bar menu. Institutional officials also may access to
Match Day reports under the "My Reports" option on the left
bar menu.
Program directors who learn at 12:00 noon eastern time on Match Day that
they did not fill their positions can access the List of Unmatched Applicants
that displays potential candidates. In addition, programs can access the
following documents that are posted to the R3 system at 12:00 noon eastern
time on Match Day:
- Match Outcome for All Programs by State, displays the number
of positions offered and filled for all programs in the Match.
- Match Results Statistics, provides detailed statistical information
about the programs, positions, and applicants in the Match.
- Match Results by Ranked Applicant, displays the match results
for each applicant ranked by the program; the NRMP's confidentiality
policy restricts it from releasing information about how specific applicants
rank specific programs.
I matched to a program, but I just learned
that I am ineligible to begin training. What should I do?
Section
2.1 of the Specialties Matching Service Match Participation Agreement
states that applicants must meet ACGME and institutional requirements
prior to the start of training in order to be eligible for the matched
position. If you learn you are ineligible to honor your match, you must
immediately notify the NRMP in writing so that the NRMP can determine
whether you and/or the program qualify for a waiver.
What happens if I match to a program and
I decide not to accept the position? Can my program issue me a waiver?
The Match
Participation Agreement states that a match between an applicant and
a program creates a binding commitment to accept a position if a match
results and to start training in good faith (i.e., with the intent to
complete the program) on the date specified in the appointment contract.
A decision not to honor that commitment is a breach of the Agreement and
will be investigated by the NRMP in accordance with the Policies
and Procedures for the Reporting, Investigation, and Disposition of Violations
of NRMP Agreements. Penalties may be levied if a violation is confirmed.
Under certain limited circumstances, the NRMP may grant to an applicant
or program a waiver of the Match commitment if honoring the Match outcome
would result in serious and extreme hardship. Waivers must be requested
from, and can be granted only by, the NRMP. To read the NRMP's Waiver
Policy, click here.
What happens if I match to a program and
begin training but then decide I want to leave the program to change specialties
and/or accept another position? Can that be done?
Section
5.1 of the Specialties
Matching Service Match Participation Agreement requires an applicant
to enter training in good faith with the intent to complete the program.
Section 5.1 also states that an applicant who terminates or resigns a
position within 45 days of the start date specified in the appointment
contract shall be in violation of the Match Participation Agreement. You
may elect to leave your matched program, but an investigation of your
actions could be initiated if the NRMP believes it has received credible
evidence that you did not enter training in good faith and/or you applied
for, discussed, interviewed for, or accepted a position in another program
during the first 45 days of training.
I've signed a contract outside the Match.
What should I do?
Under the terms of the Match
Participation Agreement, an applicant who accepts a concurrent year
position outside the Specialties Matching Service (SMS)
or through another national matching plan must withdraw from the Match.
Withdrawal must be completed prior to the Rank Order List Deadline. Failure
to do so is a violation of the Match Agreement, and an investigation will
be conducted by the NRMP in accordance with the Policies
and Procedures for the Reporting, Investigation, and Disposition of Violations
of NRMP Agreements. Applicants who elect to participate in the SMS
are prohibited from applying for, discussing, interviewing for, or accepting
a concurrent year position outside the SMS or through another
national matching plan after the Rank Order List Deadline.
What is the process if I am investigated for a violation
of the Match Participation Agreement?
Subsequent to receiving a written report of an alleged violation, the
NRMP will solicit information from the program, and any other individuals
with knowledge of the situation. A Preliminary Report that documents the
nature of the allegation is prepared.
If the results of the investigation indicate that a violation has not
occurred, the case will be closed and all parties will be so notified.
If the results of the investigation indicate a violation has occurred,
the Preliminary Report will be distributed to the subject of the investigation,
the individual who reported the violation, and any other parties who provided
information material to the investigation for their review and to correct
the additional information provided to the NRMP.
The Preliminary Report will be reviewed by a Review Panel of the NRMP's
Violations Review Committee, which will make the final determination of
whether a violation occurred and, if so, the appropriate penalty. A Review
Panel Report will be issued to the subject of the violation, who will
have ten business days to notify the NRMP of the intent to initiate arbitration.
If the subject of the violation initiates arbitration, the NRMP will note
in the Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) system that
the party is the subject of a "pending action" and that designation
will remain in place for the duration of the arbitration process. In addition,
if the subject of the violation initiates arbitration, he/she/it has thirty
days from receipt of the Review Panel Report to file with the American
Arbitration Association. If the subject of the violation does not request
arbitration within ten business days, the Review Panel Report will become
the Final Report, and it will be issued to all parties listed on the Report.
All Match registrants should review carefully The
Policies and Procedures for the Reporting, Investigation, and Disposition
of Violations of NRMP Agreements.
How can I learn whether an institution or
program I am interested in ranking has been the subject of a violation
investigation conducted by the NRMP?
The NRMP maintains an Institution and Program Violations Report in the
Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) system that is
available to applicants who register for any NRMP Match. The report displays
information about graduate medical education programs and sponsoring institutions
that have violated the Match
Participation Agreement. Term limits of any sanction(s) imposed for
the violation are included to identify the length of time the sanction
is in effect
How do I know if an applicant has a binding
commitment to another NRMP Match-participating program?
The Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) system includes
an Applicant Match History that must be used by program directors and
NRMP institutional officials to determine, prior to offering the applicant
an interview, whether that applicant has a binding commitment to another
NRMP Match-participating program. The Applicant Match History lists the
appointment status of an applicant and indicates whether that applicant
has requested a waiver of the binding commitment and/or been involved
in an NRMP violation investigation.
The Applicant Match History is available throughout the year. To access
it, you must log in to the R3 system using your AAMC ID
number and password. From the left menu bar, click the 'Applicant Match
History' link. System users can search for records by an applicant's AAMC
ID, SSN, or name.
A non-Match-participating program at my
institution offered a position to an applicant who has a concurrent year
commitment to another program. Is my institution liable?
Institutional officials must ensure that none of their programs, regardless
of Match participation status, discusses, interviews for, or offers a
position to an applicant who has matched to or accepted a concurrent year
position in another program or who is ineligible because of a denied waiver
or a confirmed violation. If any of the institution's programs discusses
or offers a position to an applicant who has matched to or accepted a
concurrent year position, the institution will be in breach of the Match
Agreement and subject to a violation investigation.
An applicant has contacted me about an open
position in my program. What should my first step be?
Prior to discussing, interviewing for, or offering a position to an applicant,
program directors must determine the applicant's eligibility by verifying
the applicant's appointment status in the Applicant Match History that
is available in the R3 system and/or by calling the NRMP
to obtain that information. Any program that discusses, interviews for,
or offers a position to an applicant who has matched to or accepted a
concurrent year position in another program or who is ineligible because
of a denied waiver or a confirmed violation will be subject to a violation
investigation by the NRMP. If the applicant is not ineligible, you can
discuss the position and schedule an interview.
What do I do if an applicant who has a binding commitment
to my program does not show up for training?
The Match Participation Agreement
states that a match between an applicant and a program creates a binding
commitment to offer and accept a position if a match results and to start
training in good faith (i.e., with the intent to complete the program)
on the date specified in the appointment contract. A decision not to honor
that commitment is a breach of the Agreement; accordingly, program directors
are expected to report to the NRMP the name of any applicant who does
not honor his/her binding commitment. Program directors also must request
a waiver of the commitment if they wish to recruit another candidate for
the position. The NRMP will initiate a violation investigation of the
applicant in accordance with the NRMP's
Policies and Procedures for the Reporting, Investigation, and Disposition
of Violations of NRMP Agreements.
Can I offer a position to an applicant who has been
released by his/her matched program? What about releasing an applicant
from my own program?
As stated in Section
3.4 of the Match
Participation Agreement, applicants and programs are not authorized
to release each other from their binding commitment. Once a party has
matched, a waiver of the binding commitment may be obtained only from
the NRMP; accordingly, applicants released by their program are not
eligible for a concurrent-year appointment to another program unless the
NRMP has granted a waiver. Moreover, Section 5.1 of the Agreement prohibits
any program at a Match-participating institution from offering a concurrent
year position to an applicant who has not received a waiver from the NRMP.
Programs that offer positions to applicants with concurrent year commitments
will be investigated by the NRMP to determine whether the applicant, the
program, and/or the institution has violated the terms of the Agreement.
The decision to grant or deny the waiver is at the sole discretion of
the NRMP and is not subject to arbitration.
How long must an applicant remain in my program?
Section
5.1 of the Specialties Matching Service Match Participation Agreement
states that an applicant who terminates or resigns a position within 45
days of the start date specified in the appointment contract shall be
presumed to have breached the Agreement. Applicants who match to or accept
a position during SOAP are expected to start training in
good faith (e.g., with the intent to complete the program).
What is the process
if I am investigated for a violation of the Match Participation Agreement?
Subsequent to receiving a written report of an alleged violation, the
NRMP will solicit information from the program director, the institutional
official, and any other individuals with knowledge of the situation. A
Preliminary Report that documents the nature of the allegation is prepared.
If the results of the investigation indicate that a violation has not
occurred, the case will be closed and all parties will be so notified.
If the results of the investigation indicate a violation has occurred,
the Preliminary Report will be distributed to the subject of the investigation,
the individual who reported the violation, and any other parties who provided
information material to the investigation for their review and to correct
the additional information provided to the NRMP.
The Preliminary Report will be reviewed by a Review Panel of the NRMP's
Violations Review Committee, which will make the final determination of
whether a violation occurred and, if so, the appropriate penalty. A Review
Panel Report will be issued to the subject of the violation, who will
have ten business days to notify the NRMP of the intent to initiate arbitration.
If the subject of the violation initiates arbitration, the NRMP will note
in the Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) system that
the party is the subject of a "pending action" and that designation
will remain in place for the duration of the arbitration process. In addition,
if the subject of the violation initiates arbitration, he/she has thirty
days from receipt of the Review Panel Report to file with the American
Arbitration Association. If the subject of the violation does not request
arbitration within ten business days, the Review Panel Report will become
the Final Report, and it will be issued to all parties listed on the Report.
All Match registrants should review carefully The
Policies and Procedures for the Reporting, Investigation, and Disposition
of Violations of NRMP Agreements.
For further information, contact the NRMP at 202-400-2233 or 1-866-653-NRMP.
Updated
08/29/2012
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