This site uses cookies for analytics. By continuing to browse this site, you agree to this use. Read our Privacy Policy to learn more.

October 2024 Illuminator

Shining a Light on Match News that Matters

This issue of the Illuminator includes:

2025 Main Residency Match News

Medical Schools: Upload Rising Seniors

Medical school officials can track their students’ participation in the 2025 Main Residency Match by uploading a list of rising seniors directly to the Registration, Ranking, and Results® (R3®) system. As seniors register, this dynamic list allows school officials to follow up with unregistered students to ensure they register in advance of the deadline. Although voluntary, doing so also helps school officials prevent ineligible students from participating in the Match before they register. 

Support guides are available to assist school officials in uploading and managing their students in the Match:

Upload a Student List & Edit Student Details Support Guide

Managing Students and Graduates Support Guide

Recording Available! Introduction to the 2025 Main Residency Match for Residency Programs Webinar

Chief of Match Operations, Jeanette Calli, and Chief Operating Officer, Laurie Curtin, recently hosted a webinar designed to assist program staff in administering their programs in the Main Residency Match.

This presentation provides introductory information about the Match, updates on policy changes for 2025, and support resources.

Welcome Newsletters Available on the Website

The NRMP posted the welcome newsletters for 2025 Main Residency Match participants – institutions, programs, medical schools, and applicants. If you haven’t already done so, please read them for important information and updates about the Main Residency Match.

Call for Nominations to the NRMP Board of Directors

Nominations due November 1

The NRMP Board of Directors is seeking nominations for directors whose terms of service would begin on July 1, 2025. Specific vacancies include:

Two Senior Directors (surgical and hospital-based specialties encouraged)

  • One must be a program director
  • One must be a designated institutional official

Two Resident Physician Directors

  • One must be a graduate of an osteopathic medical school
  • One must be a graduate of an international medical school

One Medical Student Director

The Board of Directors meets three times a year, usually in January, May, and October. Additional day-long meetings and conference calls are required for Board committee work.

The NRMP Board of Directors works hard to understand and respond to issues central to the Match and to ensure processes are always responsive to the needs of the GME community. The Board continues to seek out and elect individuals who can bring unique experiences and perspectives to the issues facing the organization and who represent constituencies of the academic medical community. Please review the Board Nominations page for information about qualification, links to online applications, and directions for submitting nominee packets. Nominations are due by Friday, November 1, 2024.

NRMP’s Stakeholder Conference

We look forward to seeing you in two days at the NRMP 2024 Transition to Residency conference!

If you have registered, make sure you check your email for “know before you go” logistics and information about the conference app. The app is a great way to stay connected, access the agenda, and network with fellow attendees.

If you have not registered, it is possible to do so onsite. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Louisville October 3 – 5!

Policy Corner: Main Residency Match Interview Period Policy

The 2025 Main Residency Match is gathering speed with registration opening in the R3 system and with application season underway, we want to remind you about the interview period policy and provide answers to some Frequently Asked Questions. 

Section 6.2 of the Match Participation Agreement for Programs outlines the NRMP’s policy on interviews:

6.2 Interview Period

The recruitment phase for the Main Residency Match must be transparent, grounded in equitable practices, reflect mutual respect for the needs of applicants and programs, and minimize unnecessary pressure. To that end, applicants and programs are bound by the terms of the applicable Match Participation Agreement to demonstrate ethical behavior when engaging in interview offers and acceptances.

During the recruitment phase, programs shall:

1. Extend interview offers that equal, not exceed, the total number of available interview slots; 

2. Provide applicants no less than 48 hours to accept or reject an interview invitation; and 

3. Apply reasonable measures of notification (e.g., one-to-two weeks’ notice) when needing to cancel or reschedule an interview.

During recruitment, programs may expect applicants to make judicious assessment of and decisions about interview offers, accepting only those they intended to fulfill and apply reasonable measures of notification (e.g., one-to-two weeks’ notice) when needing to cancel or request rescheduling of an interview.

Some programs may have additional questions, so here are a few FAQs to help you:

What does it mean to extend interview invitations that equal the total number of interview slots? 

The NRMP expects programs to release only the number of interview slots they have available – this does not necessarily relate to the number of positions in the Match. For example, a program may have a quota of 5 positions in the Match but may need to interview 50 people to ensure they can build a rank order list robust enough to fill those five positions. The policy requires the program to issue only 50 interview invitations, not more and compel applicants to compete for interview slots.

Is it ok for my program to create a waitlist of applicants after I’ve issued all my interview invitations?

The interview period policy does not prevent programs from creating waitlists of applicants they might wish to invite for an interview should an interview slot become available. 

What am I permitted to do if an applicant does not respond to an interview invitation within the 48-hour response time? 

Programs are free to issue an interview invitation to another candidate after the 48-hour response time has elapsed. If an applicant accepts the invitation after 48 hours, programs are free to coordinate an alternate time, but are not required to do so. 

What should I do if an applicant cancels an interview? 

Programs are free to extend an interview invitation to a candidate should an interview slot become unexpectedly available. If there are concerns about an applicant’s behavior with respect to cancellation, the program can report the matter to the NRMP at policy@nrmp.org, who will determine if next steps are warranted. 

What if an applicant scheduled for an interview cancels within 48 hours of the interview day? Can I extend an invitation to another candidate and request an immediate response?

Programs can extend an interview invitation to a candidate and make clear in the invitation that the interview day is rapidly approaching; however, programs are not permitted to alter the response time. Applicants should always have no less than 48 hours to respond to an interview invitation. 

We hope you find these responses helpful. Please reach out to policy@nrmp.org with other questions or for help with any policies.

Fellowship Match News and Reminders

A reminder for program directors participating in a fall fellowship Match, including the Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match – please log into the R3 system to register for the appropriate fellowship Match and check your program’s quota to make sure the number of positions your program is intending to fill in the fellowship Match is accurate.

A complete listing of fellowship Matches and their respective calendars is available on the NRMP website.

New Charting Outcomes™: Applicant Survey Results, 2024 Main Residency Match®

We are pleased to share the new Charting Outcomes™: Applicant Survey Results, 2024 Main Residency Match®.

The NRMP Applicant Survey is sent to all applicants who certified a rank order list, and the results characterize the factors that applicants consider in ranking programs at which they have interviewed for the Main Residency Match.

This report has been built using data visualization software and provides important insights on numbers of applications submitted, interviews attended, and the program selection and ranking factors of applicants.

We hope you find this data report valuable as you participate in the 2025 Main Residency Match!

New Advising Video on Interviewing Tips

NRMP has launched a series of videos to assist applicants in navigating the application, interview, and matching process.

Our Interviewing Tips video is a must-watch for applicants as they prepare for interviews! Learn the best advice for interviewing from program directors and advisors and hear from previous Match applicants sharing what they wish they had known about the interview process.

Key takeaway from the video? If an applicant receives an interview invitation, the program is already interested in them and wants to see if they will be a good fit. During the interview, applicants are encouraged to find out if their priorities align with the program’s priorities.

Share the video with your 2025 Match applicants and stay tuned for more videos throughout the Match season!

Upcoming Deadlines

Emergency Medicine

  • October 2, 11:59 p.m. ET: Quota Change Deadline

Colon & Rectal Surgery, Medical Genetics, Spinal Cord Injury Medicine

  • October 9, 9:00 p.m. ET: Rank Order List Certification Deadline

Psychiatry, Sports Medicine

  • October 16, 12:00 p.m. ET: Match Opens

Emergency Medicine

  • October 16, 9:00 p.m. ET: Rank Order List Certification Deadline

Rehabilitation Medicine

  • October 23, 12:00 p.m. ET: Rank Order List Opens

Colon & Rectal Surgery, Medical Genetics, Spinal Cord Injury Medicine

  • October 23, 12:00 p.m. ET: Match Day

Emergency Medicine

  • October 30, 12:00 p.m. ET: Match Day

Careers

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

  • Human Resources Manager

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