Frequently Asked Questions
Institutional Officials and Program Directors
Match Registration | Match Ranking | Match Results | Post-Match
What will I need to use the NRMP R3 System?
What are the system requirements to access the R3 System?
Why does NRMP want my e-mail address?
Why have I not received any emails from the NRMP?
Can I accept applicants before the Match occurs?
What information should I make available to applicants during the interview process?
Is it permissible to ask applicants where else they are applying?
How late can I add a new program or change my program's quota?
Can program directors make quota changes, additions and withdrawals via the Web?
Can I make changes or additions to my rank order list (ROL)?
Are previous versions of my rank order list (ROL) maintained in the R3 System?
How often are the applicant and program lists in the R3 System updated?
Will I be able to print a copy of my rank order list
(ROL) after or before submission?
Will I get a confirmation that NRMP received my certified rank order list (ROL)?
How does NRMP know when I've finished my rank order list (ROL)?
Is there a limit to the number of ranks I can submit via the Web?
Can anyone else see my rank order list (ROL)?
What happens if my program does not fill?
What is the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)?
How does the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) work?
Am I eligible to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)?
What is an applicant preference list?
How do I know if an applicant has a binding commitment to another NRMP match-participating program?
An applicant has contacted me about an open position in my program. What information can I share?
Can I offer a position to an applicant who has been released by his/her program?
How long must an applicant remain in my program?
What will I need to use the NRMP R3 System?
If you can surf the Web and print from your browser, you should be able to use NRMP's interactive Web site. Users must have Internet Explorer version 6.0 (or greater) or FireFox version 3.0 or greater. Either a PC or Macintosh computer can be used provided the computer has Internet access; however, the R3 System does not support the use of Safari by Mac users. The NRMP Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System and the release of Match Week results use such features as Java Script, Java applets, and cookies that must remain enabled for the systems to work.
What are the system requirements to access the R3 System?
System Requirements:
- Access to a computer that is able to connect to the World Wide Web
- An e-mail address
Browser Requirements:
To use the Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System, users must have Internet Explorer version 6.0 (or greater) or FireFox version 3.0 or greater.
The System functions best on Internet Explorer version 8.0. The R3 System uses features such as JavaScript, Java applets, and cookies, all of which must remain enabled for the System to work. Either a PC or Macintosh computer can be used provided the computer has Internet access; however, the R3 System does not support the use of Safari by Mac users. If you wish to use a Mac, please download a free version of Firefox for Mac using this link, http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html.
JavaScript:
- You must have JavaScript enabled.
Important usage information for using R3:
- Please do not use your browser's Back and Forward buttons. Use the navigational buttons made available to you on the Web page.
- It is recommended that you close the web browser after you have logged out of R3. R3 will "time out" after a short period of time, but if you work in R3 in a public location, someone else may be able to use the Back button to view pages you have worked on. They will not be able to do any work in R3, as soon as they click any button, there will be a Security Violation error message. However, they may be able to view parts of your work. This is a feature of browsers that we can not control. Closing your browser when you are done will combat this.
Why does NRMP want my e-mail address?
E-mail is the primary mode of communication used by NRMP, so change your e-mail address as often as necessary to keep an updated e-mail address on your personal profile in R3.
To change it, simply log in to the R3 System with your AAMC ID and Password, go to Update My Profile, enter the corrected e-mail address, and click Submit.
Why have I not received any emails from the NRMP?
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. If Hotmail sends an NRMP e-mail message to the Junk Mail box, you can tell Hotmail to add nrmp@aamc.org to your Save List or to send it to your in-box.
If you are not receiving e-mail from NRMP and your provider does not offer such options, we recommend that you either contact your providers to determine the best way to access such messages, or consider using an additional or replacement provider during your matching process.
For additional information on spam filtering for Hotmail or Yahoo e-mail please visit the sites below.
- Yahoo - Someone sent me a message and I haven't received it. What happened?
- Hotmail - Safe Sender
After login, go to page Options > Safe and blocked senders > Safe senders. To allow nrmp@aamc.org, type it in the box, and then click Add to list.
Can I accept applicants before the Match occurs?
Programs that participate in the Main Residency Match may offer positions to independent applicants outside the Match provided the program first determines the applicant's eligibility for appointment by using the Applicant Match History in the Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System. However, if any of an institution's programs participates in the Main Residency Match, senior students enrolled in U.S. allopathic medical schools may be offered positions only through the Main Residency Match or another national matching service. This policy applies to preliminary training for applicants who obtained positions in other matches. Offering a position to a U.S. allopathic senior outside the Main Residency Match or another national matching service is a breach of the Match Participation Agreement.
What information should I make available to applicants during the interview process?
Section 4.4 of the Match Participation Agreement for Applicants and Programs signed by NRMP program directors requires each program to act in good faith to provide complete, timely, and accurate information to interviewees, including a copy of the contract the applicant will be expected to sign if matched to the program and the institution's policies on visa status and eligibility for appointment. The information must be communicated to interviewees prior to the rank order list deadline, and a signed acknowledgment should be obtained from each interviewee. Recognizing that many appointment contracts are lengthy and that others may not contain all of the institution's relevant policies, an acceptable alternative is to post the contract and policies on the institution's Web site and notify interviewees where the information may be found. The signed acknowledgment should include a statement that the interviewee was notified that the information is posted on the Web site.
Is it permissible to 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.
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 deadline, January 31. 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 via the Web?
Program changes can be made on the Web by the program director, but must be approved on the Approve Changes screen by the institutional official. Program quotas cannot be changed after the quota change deadline. Please check the schedule of dates for the quota change deadline date.
Can I make changes or additions to my rank order list (ROL)?
The ROL can be entered in one or more sessions. It can be modified or re-ordered any number of times up until 9:00 p.m. eastern time on the deadline day for rank order list entry. 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 certifed ROL by moving, adding, or deleting an applicant, the change is saved and the previous rank order list is deleted from the R3 System. You must certify 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.
Are previous versions of my rank order list (ROL) maintained in the R3 System?
Once the currently displayed ROL has been modified online, the previous versions of the list are not retained in the R3 System, regardless of whether they were certified. The ROL that is displayed when the participant logs in is the only version on file with the NRMP. Once the last updates have been made, the participant must certify the final version by the rank order list deadline in order 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 move programs in any way modify your rank order list.
How often are the applicant and program rank order lists (ROL) in the R3 System updated?
Applicant and program information is displayed in real time, so users always have current information. Applicant and program lists are updated in the R3 System whenever an applicant or program changes the list.
Will I be able to print a copy of my rank order list (ROL) after or before submission?
Yes. You can print a copy of 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.
Will I get a confirmation that NRMP received my certified rank order list (ROL)?
Yes. 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 I've finished my rank order list (ROL)?
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 screen is the indication that you have finished your rank order list.
Is there a limit to the number of ranks I can submit via the Web?
There is no limit and no extra charge to programs for entering their rank order list.
Can anyone else see my rank order list (ROL)?
You are the only person, other than the 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.
What happens if my program does not fill?
At 12:00 noon eastern time on Monday of Match Week, program directors learn whether they filled all their positions. Unfilled programs are eligible to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program to attempt to fill positions with eligible unmatched applicants.
What is the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)?
SOAP is the process through which positions offered by unfilled programs will be accepted by unmatched applicants during Match Week. SOAP replaces the "Scramble" and provides a standardized and uniform process for obtaining post-match appointments. Unfilled programs electing to participate in SOAP offer positions to SOAP-eligible unmatched applicants through the Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System, and positions offered and accepted constitute a binding commitment under the Match Participation Agreement. Detailed information about SOAP can be found in Section 7.0 of the Match Participation Agreement for Applicants and Programs.
How does the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) work?
SOAP is a series of "rounds" that commences at 12:00 noon eastern time on Wednesday of Match Week. At 11:30 a.m. eastern time on that Wednesday, programs must finalize in the R3 System the applicant preference lists they want used during the first found of SOAP. At 12:00 noon, the first SOAP offers are extended through the R3 System to the unmatched applicants listed at the top of programs' preference lists. Offers are extended to as many applicants on a program's preference list as there are unfilled positions in that program. Each "round" of SOAP lasts two hours, during which applicants can accept or reject any offers they received. Offers are sent at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. SOAP concludes at 5:00 p.m. eastern time on Friday of Match Week.
Am I am eligible to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)?
All match-participating programs with unfilled positions are eligible to participate in SOAP. Through the R3 System, programs must notify the NRMP prior to Match Week whether they wish to participate in SOAP should they go unfilled. If you elect to participate in SOAP and you have unfilled positions, you may accept applications from eligible unmatched applicants only through ERAS and you must submit preference lists and extend offers only through the R3 System. Until 5:00 p.m. eastern time on Friday of Match Week, match-participating programs can offer unfilled positions only through SOAP.
What if I don't want to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)?
You may elect not to participate in SOAP, but if you do so you are prohibited from extending offers to any applicant, regarding of the applicant's SOAP-eligibility status, until SOAP concludes at 5:00 p.m. eastern time on Friday of Match Week. .
What is an applicant preference list?
Programs electing to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) submit a list that contains the names of applicants who have applied to the program and to whom the program wishes to offer a position. The lists are similar to the rank order lists used when the matching algorithm is processed. Program directors can make adjustments and add applicants to their preference lists prior to each round of SOAP, but the list must be certified for each round in which the program wishes to extend offers.
How do I contact an applicant about unfilled positions during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)?
Once you receive applications from SOAP-eligible applicants beginning at 2:00 p.m. eastern time on Monday of Match Week, you may contact them to discuss a position and/or schedule an interview. Neither applicants nor other individuals or entities acting on their behalf are permitted to contact you until you initiate contact.
Can I extend more than one offer at a time during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)?
Yes. If you participate in SOAP, you must finalize your applicant preference list in the R3 System by 11:30 a.m. eastern time on Wednesday of Match Week. The first round of SOAP offers are sent at 12:00 noon to as many applicants at the top of your preference list as there are unfilled positions in your program. Applicants have two hours to accept or reject any offers they receive.
If I extend an offer to an unmatched applicant during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), and the offer is accepted, is it binding?
Yes. Positions offered and accepted during SOAP constitute a binding commitment subject to the terms and conditions outlined in the Match Participation Agreement for Applicants and Programs. Failure to honor any offer made during SOAP absent a waiver from the NRMP is a violation and will subject you to an investigation and the potential levying of sanctions.
How do I know if an applicant has a binding commitment to another NRMP match-participating program?
The NRMP's 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?
Institution officials are responsible for ensuring that none of their programs, regardless of match participation status, discusses or offers a position to an applicant who has matched to or accepted a concurrent year position in another program and who is ineligible because a waiver has not been granted and/or a violation has been confirmed. 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 information can I share?
Prior to discussing, interviewing for, or offering a position to an applicant, program directors shall determine the applicant's eligibility for appointment. 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 and who has not been granted a waiver by the NRMP will be subject to a violation investigation by the NRMP. Programs must determine the applicant's eligibility by verifying the applicant's appointment status in the Applicant Match History that is available in the Match Site and/or by calling the NRMP to obtain that information.
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 to which you affixed your password when you registered for the Match 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. The same binding commitment is established during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program if a program offers a position by listing an applicant on its preference list and the applicant accepts that offer. 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 binding 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.
Do I need to request a waiver of my binding commitment to an applicant who does not report for training?
If for any reason a program wishes to recruit a candidate for a position left vacant by an applicant who matched to the program or who accepted a position during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program, the program must submit to the NRMP a written request for a waiver, even if training for other residents already has begun. The NRMP's decision to grant or deny the waiver is at the sole discretion of the NRMP and is not subject to arbitration. Programs may not discuss, interview for, or offer the position to another candidate prior to the NRMP issuing its decision as to whether to grant the requested waiver.
Can I offer a position to an applicant who has been released by his/her 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, or a position has been offered and accepted during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program, 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 until the NRMP has granted a waiver. Any program at a match-participating institution that offers a concurrent year position to an applicant who has not received a waiver from the NRMP will be subject to a violation investigation. The NRMP's decision to grant or deny the waiver is at the sole discretion of the NRMP and is not subject to arbitrationarbitration
An applicant with a binding commitment to my program has asked to be released. It would not jeopardize my program to release her, and I have another candidate to whom I could offer the position. Can I release the applicant and offer the position to another candidate?
The NRMP has sole discretion over the waiver review process; applicants and programs are not authorized to release each other from their binding commitment. If the NRMP approves a waiver request, the applicant may accept a position in another program and the program may recruit another candidate. If the NRMP does not approve the waiver request, the applicant and program are expected to honor their binding commitment. Moreover, Section 5.1 of the Match Participation Agreement prohibits a program from discussing or offering a position to an applicant who is matched to or has accepted a concurrent year position in another program and who has not been granted a waiver by the NRMP. If any program at an NRMP match-participating institution discusses or offers a position to an applicant who has not been granted a waiver, the NRMP will initiate an investigation to determine whether the applicant, the program, and/or the institution has violated the terms of the Agreement.
How long must an applicant remain in my program?
Section 5.1 of the 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.
What does it mean in the R3 System when it states that an applicant is the subject of "pending action"?
When a violation investigation of an applicant results in an adverse decision and the adverse decision is contested, the applicant is designated with "pending action" in the R3 System. The designation remains in place until the applicant has waived or exhausted the opportunity to contest the action pursuant to the Violations Policy. Once the Final Report of the investigation has been issued, a summary of the nature of the violation and any sanctions imposed will be accessible in the Applicant Match History if the NRMP concluded that the applicant breached the Match Participation Agreement.
What is the process if my program is 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 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". 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 202-828-0676 or 1-866-617-5837.
Updated 08/30/2011
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