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October 2025 Illuminator Newsletter

Shining a Light on Match News that Matters

This issue of the Illuminator includes:

Know Before You Go! 2025 NRMP Conference

We look forward to seeing you next week at the NRMP 2025 Transition to Residency conference at the Westin DC Downtown! Before you arrive make sure you:

  • Download our conference mobile app.
  •  Visit the conference website for the full agenda.
  •  Know the dress code. Business casual is recommended!
  • Stay connected. Follow along on social media with #NRMPConference for an inside look at the conference and to join the conversation!

A very limited number of spots remain, so please visit the conference website to register. We can’t wait to see you in Washington, DC, on October 11-12!

Now Accepting Nominations for the NRMP Board of Directors

The NRMP Board of Directors is accepting nominations for directors whose terms of service would begin July 1, 2026. Specific vacancies include:

  • One Senior Director
  • One Resident Physician Director
  • Two Medical Student Directors
    • One must be an osteopathic medical student

The NRMP Board of Directors works to understand and respond to issues central to the Match and plays a vital role in ensuring its processes continue to meet the needs of the GME community. 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 Board of Directors is seeking individuals who can bring unique experiences and perspectives to the issues facing the organization and who represent constituencies of the academic medical community.

For more information about qualifications, links to applications, and directions for submitting nominee packets, please review the Board Nominations page. 

Nominations are due by Friday, October 31, 2025.

2026 Main Residency Match Resources

Medical Schools: Upload Rising Seniors

Medical school officials can track their students’ participation in the 2026 Main Residency Match by uploading a list of rising seniors into the Registration, Ranking, and Results® (R3®) system. As seniors register, this dynamic list removes them, allowing school officials to follow up with remaining unregistered students to ensure they register in advance of the deadline. Although voluntary, uploading your list also allows 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

Educational Webinars for Medical Schools and Residency Applicants

The NRMP hosted an Introduction to the 2026 Main Residency Match for Medical Schools webinar. The webinar covered introductory information about the Match, how to manage your students and graduates in the R3 system, Match fees, relevant policies, and support resources.

We also released the Introduction to the 2026 Main Residency Match for Applicants webinar, which provided an overview of Match processes and policies including applicant eligibility, multiple application services, NRMP’s program directory, policy information, and support resources to help applicants through the Match process.

Welcome Newsletters for Match Participants

The NRMP published welcome newsletters for 2026 Main Residency Match participants – institutions, programs, medical schools, and applicants. If you haven’t already done so, please read your newsletter for important information and resources about the Main Residency Match.

New! How the NRMP Matching Algorithm Works Video

Ever wonder how the NRMP matching algorithm works? Watch our new and improved How the Matching Algorithm Works video, which explains how the algorithm matches applicants into training programs.

The video covers myths and misperceptions about the algorithm and provides a sample Match to help you better understand the process.  

We encourage you to share the video as it’s a helpful resource for residency and fellowship Match participants!

Pediatrics Residency Programs – Register for the Voluntary Rank Order List (ROL) Lock Pilot

The deadline for Pediatrics programs to sign up is October 3!

The deadline for Pediatric residency programs to declare their intent to participate in the Voluntary Rank Order List (ROL) Lock Pilot is Friday, October 3. Program directors can sign up at the program track level by logging into the R3 system, selecting Program Details in R3, and clicking the Voluntary ROL Lock participation section.

The pilot allows for participating programs in the Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Vascular Surgery specialties to voluntarily lock their Rank Order List (ROL) prior to the certification deadline, giving applicants the chance after interviewing to attend—or not— post-interview visits. The deadline for Internal Medicine and Vascular Surgery programs has already passed.

Applicants can view which programs have signed up for the pilot in the R3 system Program Directory.

We encourage everyone to review the FAQs available on the Voluntary Program ROL Lock Pilot page, particularly students interested in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Vascular Surgery. 

New! Watch the recorded Q&A session with NRMP staff and Pediatrics program directors.

Questions? Contact pilot@nrmp.org. 

Fellowship Match Resources

The NRMP has a variety of resources for Fellowship Match participants on the website. We want to highlight a few of those resources:

  • Calendars are available for all Fellowship Matches with important dates to assist participants through the process. Find your Fellowship Match in the dropdown menu.
  • New Match Process for Programs and Institutions video. The video provides a step-by-step process of the Match process to help ensure the Match runs smoothly. The video provides guidance for institution and program staff as you move from Match registration to Match Day.

Watch and Share – Interviewing Tips Video

Check out our video series to assist applicants in navigating the application, interview, and matching process.

Our Interviewing Tips video features tips and advice for interview season from previous residency applicants, advisors, and program directors. Applicants reflect on interview season and share what they wish they had known when going through the 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 2026 Match applicants and stay tuned as we highlight additional videos throughout the Match season! 

Policy Corner – Main Residency Match Interview Period Policy

With the 2026 Main Residency Match gathering speed, we want to highlight 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wondering how the policy applies to you? Here are a few FAQs to help:

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. To comply with the policy, the program would issue only 50 interview invitations, not more, which would 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 questions or for any assistance.

Upcoming Deadlines

Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pain Medicine

  • October 1, 12 p.m. ET: Match Day

Medicine and Pediatric Specialties

  • October 1, 12 p.m. ET: Ranking Opens

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

  • October 8, 9 p.m. ET: Rank Order List Certification Deadline

Psychiatry, Sports Medicine

  • October 15, 12 p.m. ET: Match Opens

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

  • October 22, 12 p.m. ET: Match Day

Rehabilitation Medicine

  • October 22, 12 p.m. ET: Ranking Opens

Emergency Medicine

  • October 22, 11:59 p.m. ET: Quota Change Deadline

Medicine and Pediatric Specialties

  • October 29, 11:59 p.m. ET: Quota Change Deadline

Careers

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

  • Senior Business Intelligence Analyst

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