NRMP and trusted third parties collect information on this website using cookies and similar technologies, and by using this website you consent to such practices. For more information, see the Cookie Policy section of ourPrivacy Statement.

October 2026 Illuminator Newsletter

Shining a Light on Match News that Matters

This issue of the Illuminator includes:

  • 2027 Main Residency Match News and Reminders
  • Call for Nominations: NRMP Board of Directors
  • NRMP Stakeholder Conference: Call for Proposals Opening Soon
  • Research Roundup: New Reporting on Recruitment and Selection
  • Policy Corner: Interview Period Policy
  • Fellowship Match Resources
  • Upcoming Fellowship Deadlines
  • NRMP Careers

2027 Main Residency Match® News and Reminders

Medical Schools: Upload Rising Seniors

Medical school officials can track their students’ participation in the 2027 Main Residency Match by uploading a list of rising seniors into the Registration, Ranking, and Results® (R3®) system. As seniors register, they are automatically remove removed from the list, allowing school officials to follow up with any remaining unregistered students before the registration deadline. Although voluntary, uploading your list also allows school officials to 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: 

Educational Webinars for Medical Schools and Residency Applicants

The NRMP recently hosted an Introduction to the 2027 Main Residency Match for Medical Schools webinar. The session covered introductory information about the Match, including how to manage students and graduates in the R3 system, Match fees, relevant policies, and available support resources.

We also released the Introduction to the 2027 Main Residency Match for Applicants webinar, which provided an overview of Match processes and policies, including applicant eligibility, the NRMP Program Directory, policy information, and support resources to help applicants navigate the Match process.

Welcome Newsletters for Match Participants 

The NRMP published welcome newsletters for 2027 Main Residency Match participants – institutions, programs, medical schools, and applicants. If you have not already done so, please review your newsletter for important information, key dates, and resources for the Match.

Deadline Approaching! Voluntary Program Rank Order List Lock Pilot

Programs in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Vascular Surgery will have the opportunity to participate in the Voluntary Rank Order List (ROL) Lock pilot again for the 2027 Main Residency Match®. This pilot, which began with the 2026 Main Residency Match, will make it possible for the NRMP, and participating programs, to explore the merits and utility of voluntary functionality that would allow programs to “lock” their rank order lists in the NRMP’s Registration, Ranking, and Results® (R3®) system. 

For each program and/or track participating in the Match, programs will identify their intent to participate in the pilot in the NRMP’s R3® system. Program directors can indicate “yes” or “no” for each track by going to the program details in R3® and clicking on the “Voluntary ROL Lock Participation” section. 

Programs must be signed up by Friday, October 16, 2026.

Applicants can search NRMP’s R3 program directory to see if a program track is participating.

Get more information or reach out to pilot@nrmp.org with any questions or concerns.

Call for Nominations: NRMP Board of Directors

Passionate about the transition to residency and looking for a way to make a difference?

The NRMP Board of Directors is seeking nominations for directors whose terms of service would begin on July 1, 2027. Specific vacancies include:

•            One Senior Director 

•            One Resident Physician Director (must be a graduate of an international medical school).

•            One Medical Student Director

The deadline for submissions is Friday, October 30. Please visit the Board Nominations page on the NRMP website for information on member qualifications, submission requirements and application. We look forward to hearing from you!

NRMP Conference Abstract Submission Opening Soon!

The NRMP is already working on next year’s Transition to Residency Stakeholder Conference. Please plan to join us next September at the Intercontinental New Orleans for great content and culture as only New Orleans (“The Big Easy”) can provide!

The theme for next year’s meeting is Shaping the Future Physician Workforce: Connecting Training, Data, and Community Need. Opportunities continue to present themselves to promote better understanding of workforce needs, support learner success, and ensure how training pathways align with the diverse needs of patients and communities. This is an exciting and timely line of discussion.

Plan to submit an abstract! Later this month, the NRMP will open its call for abstracts, so be sure to check our website and follow social media for announcements. We hope you will submit a proposal that helps advance understanding of the future physician workforce or illuminates your passion for strengthening the transition to residency. We look forward to seeing you next September in New Orleans!

Research Roundup: NRMP Advancing Conversation with New Reports

The NRMP has been actively working on new reporting for the UME and GME communities!

• Program Signaling: Examination of Ranking and Matching Outcomes Across Specialties – this first-of-its kind report looks systematically at the impact of signaling on rank order list placement and Match outcomes across signaling structures and specialties.

• Characteristics of Applicants Included on Program Rank Order Lists by Specialty – this report, in collaboration with the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), aims to better understand specialty-level program ranking practices to provide deeper insight into the residency recruitment process.

In addition to this seminal work, the NRMP has recently published its annual survey reports:

• Charting OutcomesTM: Program Director Survey Results, 2026 Main Residency Match – this report captures the factors program directors consider when selecting applicants for interviews and when ranking applicants in the Match.

• Charting OutcomesTM: Applicant Survey Results, 2026 Main Residency Match – this report characterizes the factors applicants consider in ranking programs in the Match.

We are pleased to be continually bring reporting to our community that advances understanding of resident recruitment, selection, and overall Match experience. We hope you have time to read these reports and that you find the insights informative.

Policy Corner: Interview Policy Period

With an active recruitment season underway for many NRMP Matches, we want to highlight policy surrounding interviews and provide answers to some Frequently Asked Questions.

Section 6.2 of the NRMP’s Match Participation Agreements for Programs outlines the NRMP’s policy on interviews. Importantly, the NRMP expects recruitment to be transparent, promote equitable practices, reflect mutual respect for the needs of applicants and programs, and minimize unnecessary pressure. To that end:

During recruitment, programs shall

1. Extend interview offers that equal, not exceed, the 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

  • What does it mean to extend interview invitations that equal the 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, they 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.

Fellowship Match Resources

The NRMP offers a variety of resources to help Fellowship Match participants navigate the matching process. We encourage you to take advantage of the following tools and resources:

• Calendars are available for all Fellowship Matches and include important dates and deadlines. Select your Fellowship Match from the dropdown menu to view the appropriate calendar. 

• Support guides are available to assist participants through the matching process. Programs participating in the Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match should review the Entering and Certifying a Program Rank Order List support guide, as ranking opened on September 30.

• The Match Process for Programs and Institutions video provides an overview of the Match process, including the roles and responsibilities of institution and program staff from Match registration through Match Day.

• Visit the support section for FAQs, checklists, support guides, and video tutorials. 

Upcoming Deadlines

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

  • October 7, 9 p.m. ET: Rank Order List Certification Deadline

Psychiatry, Sports Medicine

  • October 14, 12 p.m. ET: Match Opens

Rehabilitation Medicine

  • September 16, 12 p.m. ET: Match Opens

Rehabilitation Medicine

  • October 21, 12 p.m. ET: Rank Order List Opens

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

  • October 21, 12 p.m. ET: Match Day!

Emergency Medicine

  • October 21, 11:59 p.m. ET: Quota Change Deadline

Medicine and Pediatric Specialties

  • October 28, 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:

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