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Residency Program Newsletter

Dear Residency Program Directors and Coordinators,

The National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®) is pleased to welcome you to the 2027 Main Residency Match®! Registration for institutions and programs opens at 12 p.m. ET on Friday, May 1.

Opening registration on May 1 allows institutions and programs to update their Program Directory information in the Registration, Ranking, and Results® (R3®) system ahead of the application season, ensuring applicants see accurate information when researching programs. The program updates will appear in the program directory, which has application service requirements (e.g. ERAS®, ResidencyCAS), program location, links to the institution and program websites, NRMP program codes, and program types available in the Match.

The NRMP is looking forward to a great Match!

Match Calendars and Resources

Review the 2027 Main Residency Match calendar to keep track of Match deadlines throughout the process. Match Week and the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program® (SOAP®) will be March 15 – 19, with Match Day occurring on March 19, 2027. The Main Residency Match Week and SOAP calendar can be found on the website along with FAQs, step-by-step support guides, and Match checklists to help you navigate the process.

We encourage you to view the NRMP YouTube channel for videos about the Match process, including our curated playlist for programs.

Join Us for the First Webinar of the Match Season

The NRMP will host an Introduction to the 2027 Main Residency Match webinar on Monday, May 4, at 1 p.m. ET. The webinar will provide an overview of Match processes and policies, including:

  • Main Residency Match deadlines
  • Program staff roles and responsibilities
  • How to activate and manage the program’s participation in the Match
  • Important policy information

Registration for the webinar is required. A recording will be available on the website for those who are unable to attend.

Getting Started on May 1

On Friday, May 1, designated program directors and coordinators will receive an email with instructions for registering their individual user account in the R3 system. The R3 system is used by all Match participants to register for the Match, submit rank order lists of preferred programs or trainees, and access Match results and statistics. 

To stay on track with Match events and deadlines, programs should get started on the program checklist. Below are links to other resources to help you prepare for the Match season.

Activating Program(s)

Institutional officials must first activate the institution for participation in the Match in the R3 system. Once the institution is active, each program track must also be activated.

Action Needed: Program activation may be done by the institutional official (IO), but they also have the option to direct the institutional administrator (IA) or the program director (PD) to activate their program(s). This allows PDs to confirm their participation in the Match at the program level, update their program directory information, and set the program quota.

Updating Program and Application Service Information

Programs are required to update program information and choose which application service(s) their program(s) will be using for the Match season and SOAP. After a program is activated, program staff should review and update program information in the R3 system under the Program Directory Information tab. The program information and application service listed will be visible to applicants in the program directory, helping them understand how and where to apply to your programs.

Policies

During registration, program directors and coordinators will be asked to read and electronically sign the Match Participation Agreement (MPA) for Programs. The MPA outlines the rights and responsibilities of programs that participate in the Main Residency Match.

Every program director and coordinator should read the MPA thoroughly because it is binding. That said, here are some important policies to keep in mind:

Section 6.1 Duty to Act in an Ethical and Professional Manner: Programs are required to conduct their affairs in an ethical and professionally responsible manner. This starts at the time of Match registration, extends throughout the application, interview, matching processes, SOAP, and through the 45th day following the start date of training in their appointment contract.

Section 6.2 Interview Period: Programs must extend interview offers that equal, not exceed, the total number of available interview slots. Applicants must have no less than 48 hours to accept or reject an invitation.

Section 6.3 Completeness, Timeliness, and Accuracy of Information: Programs must be transparent and provide complete information to applicants. Specifically, programs must provide applicants with all institutional and program policies related to eligibility, including types of sponsored visas and a copy of the appointment agreement, and identify the application service provider or process that will be used. Programs must be able to demonstrate, if needed, such as with a signed applicant attestation, that applicants had access to eligibility information at the time of the interview. 

Section 6.5 Restrictions on Persuasion: Programs are prohibited at all times from asking applicants to disclose any identifying information about the programs to which they have or may apply, programs to which they may have sent preference signals, interviews attended, or ranking preferences.

Section 14.0 Use of Match Information: To ensure the quality and integrity of its data, the NRMP prohibits any Match data from being used to “train” anylarge language model or as part of any machine learning or neural network architecture without its expressed consent.

To foster and provide clarity on Match etiquette, the NRMP also maintains a Match Code of Conduct for Programs. In addition to language codified in the Match Agreement, the NRMP expects every program director and recruitment team member to:  

  • Refrain from asking illegal questions, including those related to demographics such as race and sexual orientation.
  • Promote a fair and efficient interview experience by adhering to interview period policies and ensuring clear, transparent messaging to applicants about interview invitations.
  • Respect an applicant’s right to privacy and confidentiality.
  • Decline to require second visits.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to policy@nrmp.org with any questions. We are here to help you throughout the Match season. 

Upcoming Match Reports

The NRMP has a variety of data reports available to assist Main Residency Match participants. As part of our mission, we leverage our data and analyses to enhance the healthcare environment while fostering innovation and advancing professionalism across the transition to residency and the physician workforce.

We would like to highlight a few upcoming reports that will be released over the coming months:

  • Results and Data: 2026 Main Residency Match® (end of May)
  • Charting Outcomes™: Demographic Characteristics of Applicants in the Main Residency Match® and SOAP® (end of May)
  • Charting Outcomes™: Applicant Survey Results, 2026 Main Residency Match® (summer)

New Report! Charting Outcomes™: Program Report will be available this summer in the R3 system and provides a tailored overview of your program as it relates to Main Residency Match registration, positions offered, Match and SOAP outcomes, trends, demographics, and insights into incoming residents. 

Visit the Match Data page on the website for access to all current and previous archived reports. You can find past research projects to broaden understanding of The Match and improve GME processes on the Research Insights page. 

Match Fees

Institution and program fees will be invoiced to the NRMP institutional official and billing contact, if one has been designated, at the conclusion of the Match.

  • Program Registration Fee: $100 per program track
  • Per Certified Position (Quota) Fee: $85

Support Services

Assistance is available from the NRMP support staff Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time by emailing support@nrmp.org or calling 866-653-NRMP (6767).