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March 2024 Illuminator

Shining a Light on Match News that Matters

This issue of the Illuminator includes:

  • Main Residency Match Week and SOAP: March 11 – 15
  • Navigating Match Week and SOAP webinar
  • Program director and applicant surveys are live and accepting responses
  • Match Week and SOAP Listserv
  • Policy reminders about SOAP
  • New fellowship Match data report
  • Fellowship Match webinar recording
  • Upcoming deadlines
  • Careers

Main Residency Match Week and SOAP: March 11 – 15

Match Week is almost here! On Monday, March 11, at 10 a.m. ET, program directors learn if their program(s) filled, applicants learn if they matched, and the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program® (SOAP®) begins.

SOAP provides a uniform system for programs to offer unfilled positions to eligible unmatched or partially matched applicants through a series of offer rounds during Match Week. Review the SOAP resources and the Match Week and SOAP calendar for detailed information.

As Match Week approaches, we want to wish all 2024 Main Residency Match participants a successful Match Day! Please tag us in your social media posts using @TheNRMP and #Match2024. We look forward to seeing your celebratory photos and videos!

Navigating Match Week and SOAP Webinar for Main Residency Match Programs on March 6

Join staff from the NRMP and AAMC ERAS for a joint webinar on Wednesday, March 6, at 1 p.m. ET, to learn about preparing for the Main Residency Match Week, obtaining your program’s Match results, and navigating SOAP.

NRMP and AAMC ERAS staff will answer questions following the presentation. Space is limited so register today! If you are unable to attend or the webinar is full, a recording of the webinar will be posted to the NRMP website at www.nrmp.org. 

Main Residency Match Program Director and Applicant Surveys are live and accepting responses!

The NRMP is administering both the Program Director and Applicant Surveys this year, which should have arrived in email inboxes on February 29. Surveys are open until March 10. The information from these surveys will help inform the decision-making processes of future applicants and help NRMP and other GME organizations improve the transition to residency process. The more survey responses we get, the better we can inform the community!

Can’t find the link to the survey in your inbox? Search the subject line “Invitation to Complete the 2024 Applicant/Program Director Survey” to track it down. To read previous NRMP survey reports, please visit our website. If you work with applicants directly, please encourage them to complete the survey by March 10. For questions, please reach out to research@nrmp.org.

Join the Match Week and SOAP Listserv

NRMP and AAMC ERAS staff are partnering again this year to host the Match Week and Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program® (SOAP®) Listserv. The Listserv is the official source for all Match Week and SOAP information, where questions can be asked and answered in real time. The Listserv is “opt in” for medical school and program staff/faculty and is not intended for applicants.

Those interested in participating in the Listserv should register before the start of Match Week on Monday, March 11. Review the Listserv webpage for details on how to register and best practices for posting to and using the Listserv. 

Policy Corner: SOAP

There are specific policies that govern SOAP to maintain a fair and transparent process for all participants. Here are some of the important policy highlights to help prepare you in the event your program or students are participating:

• SOAP-participating programs agree to only consider SOAP-eligible applicants for unfilled positions. 

• SOAP-eligible applicants can only be offered unfilled positions by SOAP-participating programs until SOAP concludes on Thursday, March 14, at 9 p.m. ET, and those positions must be offered and accepted only through the NRMP’s R3 system.

• Match-participating programs that elect not to participate in SOAP cannot solicit or consider applications from or extend offers to any applicants until SOAP concludes.

• Program staff may initiate contact with SOAP-eligible applicants only after receiving the applicant’s application as part of SOAP. 

• Neither applicants nor their representatives may contact or communicate with the program until the program has first initiated contact. 

• Programs may not ask applicants to indicate whether they will accept an offer if one is extended during SOAP. 

• Offers extended during SOAP constitute a binding commitment if the offer is accepted during a SOAP Offer Round. 

• SOAP-eligible unmatched applicants who wish to pursue an alternate course during Match Week. Specifically, those applicants may pursue interests other than clinical residency training in lieu of participating in SOAP provided:

  • the position sought is not affiliated with a Match- or SOAP-participating residency program;
  • the position does not qualify for training credit in an ACGLE-accredited residency program; and
  • the applicant does not submit any applications to SOAP-participating programs during Match Week.

Please visit the Match Policies page on the NRMP website for access to Match Participation Agreements and best practices during recruitment and ranking as outlined in the Codes of Conduct.

For questions regarding Match policies, please contact NRMP Policy at policy@nrmp.org. We are here to help and look forward to supporting you throughout the 2024 Main Residency Match cycle.

New Data Report Available!
Results and Data Book, Specialties Matching Service® Appointment Year 2024

The National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®) has released a new data report, the Results and Data Specialties Matching Service®, 2024 Appointment Year, for Fellowship Matches in the Specialties Matching Service® (SMS®). The report shows that 14,034 active applicants submitted a rank order list of programs, competing for 14,169 fellowship positions in 6,116 programs. Of those applicants, 11,853 were matched to a fellowship position, an increase of 305 active applicants from the 2023 appointment year.  

“The NRMP continues its long tradition of successfully facilitating the growth and diversification of the physician workforce,” said NRMP President and CEO Donna L. Lamb, DHSc, MBA, BSN. “As the numbers of applicants pursuing fellowships increases, along with the growth among subspecialties offering training opportunities through the NRMP, we remain committed to sharing Match outcomes and examining how growth of fellowship opportunities impacts communities and patient access to specialized care.” 

The number of specialty programs participating in SMS increased with the addition of four new subspecialties: Cancer Rehabilitation, Clinical Neurophysiology, Epilepsy, and Forensic Pathology. In total, the SMS provided matching services for 77 subspecialties in 22 separate Matches. 

Read the press release for program, specialty, and applicant highlights.

Fellowship Match Webinar Recording

The NRMP hosted an Introduction to the Fellowship Match webinar and the recording is posted on the website.

The webinar, hosted by Jeanette Calli, Chief of Match Operations, and David Dojcsak-Sparks, Senior Manager of Policy and Compliance, provided an overview of Match processes and policies, program staff roles and responsibilities, managing the program’s participation in the Match, ranking applicants, and policy information.

This is a biannual webinar. A second session will be hosted on Tuesday, July 16, at 1 p.m. ET, for programs associated with a Fellowship Match that has a Match Day through the end of the year.

Upcoming Deadlines

Main Residency Match

  • March 15, 12:00 p.m. ET: Match Day!

Forensic Pathology, Laryngology, Pediatric Surgery, Thoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery, Vascular Neurology

  • March 20, 12:00 p.m. ET: Rank Order List Opens

Radiology, Surgical Oncology

  • March 20, 12:00 p.m. ET: Registration Opens

Epilepsy & Clinical Neurophysiology, Hand Surgery

  • March 27, 12:00 p.m. ET: Rank Order List Opens

Careers

NRMP is growing to meet the needs of the community. We currently have one position open:

  • Client Support Specialist

For more information, please visit our Careers page. NRMP is an equal opportunity employer.