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November 2026 Illuminator Newsletter

Shining a Light on Match News that Matters

This issue of the Illuminator includes:

  • 2027 Main Residency Match Reminders
  • Video: Interviewing Tips
  • NRMP Stakeholder Conference: Proposals Being Accepted!
  • Research Roundup: The Unmatched Applicant
  • Policy Corner: Communication Between Applicants and Programs
  • Fellowship Match Resources
  • Upcoming Fellowship Match Deadlines
  • NRMP Careers

2027 Main Residency Match® News and Reminders

Applicant Match History in the R3 system 

The Registration, Ranking, and Results® (R3®) system includes an Applicant Match History feature that indicates whether an applicant has a binding commitment to another Match-participating program or any current Match violations. The Applicant Match History must be used by program staff to determine, before offering an applicant an interview, whether that applicant is eligible for appointment. 

Programs and institutions – View a step-by-step support guide on how to use the Applicant Match History in the R3 system. 

Current medical students do not need to be screened since they have no prior Match history. The Applicant Match History also indicates whether an applicant has a match commitment waiver or an active NRMP sanction.

If you have any questions, assistance is available from the NRMP support staff Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET by emailing support@nrmp.org or calling 866-653-NRMP (6767). 

Upcoming Educational Webinars

Medical schools – The NRMP is hosting a Verifying Graduation Credentials for the 2027 Main Residency Match webinar on January 12, 2027 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Geared toward NRMP medical school officials and administrators, the webinar will cover how to verify the graduation credentials of your students and graduates to participate in the Match, key deadlines and policy requirements, and important ranking reminders to share with your students. Registration is required.

Register for verifying graduation credentials for the 2027 main residency match

Residency programs – We are also hosting a Ranking Applicants in the 2027 Main Residency Match webinar on January 21, 2027 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Learn how the ranking process and matching algorithm work, and understand program staff roles and responsibilities in ranking applicants using the R3 system. We’ll also cover key topics, including the upcoming Quota Change Deadline, setting your Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program® (SOAP®) participation status, and important Match policies to help you navigate the process successfully. Registration is required. 

register for ranking applicants in the 2027 main residency match

Video: Interviewing Tips

Looking for resources to support applicants during interview season? Our Interviewing Tips video brings together perspectives from former residency applicants, advisors, and program directors, who share practical advice and lessons learned from the interview process.

One important takeaway: applicants who receive interview invitations have already demonstrated qualities a program values. Interviews provide an opportunity for both applicants and programs to explore whether there is a strong mutual fit.

Share the video with your 2027 Match applicants and watch for more resources throughout the Match season.

NRMP Conference – Proposals Now Accepted!

NRMP invites interested community members to submit an abstract proposal for next year’s Transition to Residency conference! Scheduled for September 25-26, 2027 in New Orleans, the conference will highlight ways that data, research, innovation, and collaboration are promoting better understanding of future physician workforce.

Please visit the Transition to Residency conference website for additional information about submissions as well as insights about key themes, the conference venue, and fun that can be had in The Big Easy!

Never attended an NRMP conference? Be sure to view our conference video to hear perspectives from prior attendees about what makes the NRMP meeting one you shouldn’t miss!

The deadline for proposal submissions is December 15 at 9:00 pm ET. We look forward to seeing you in New Orleans!

learn more about nrmp’s annual stakeholder conference

Research Roundup: The Unmatched Applicant

We hope you will take a moment to read NRMP’s latest research offering!

Matched, Unmatched, and Beyond: Applicant Characteristics and Residency Placement Outcomes, 2022-2025 – a first-of-its-kind report that considers residency placement outcomes across the Main Residency Match and Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP). This report is part of a broader NRMP initiative to better understand applicants who did not secure a residency position or who obtained only partial residency training during Match Week.

Some highlights from the report:

  • Differences in applicant characteristics across Match outcome groups were noted, suggesting relationships between various applicant characteristics and securing a residency position or potential biases in residency attainment.
  • The majority of applicants who did not secure a position in their first Match cycle registered for a subsequent match, the majority of whom were able to secure a position.

This report wraps up a season of new deliverables published by the NRMP to advance understanding of the experiences of applicants and programs during the transition to residency. For additional highlights about this and other new reporting, please review our recent press release.

Policy Corner: Communication Between Applicants and Programs

A cornerstone of any Match is that participants should be able to move through the process without undue burden and coercion. With interview active for both residency and fellowship matches, we want to highlight Section 6.5 of the Match Participation Agreement for Programs and how NRMP works to ensure healthy communication during interview, matching, and onboarding.

Section 6.5 – Restrictions on Persuasion – states that programs have a right to make selection decisions that are free of undue or unwarranted pressure and should report to the NRMP any violations of these rights. It also states that programs should extend that same courtesy to applicants, specifically by not:

  • Requesting that applicants reveal the names, specialties, geographic locations, or other identifying information about the program(s) to which they have or may apply
  • Requesting that applicants reveal preference signal(s) if in a specialty participating in preference signaling
  • Requesting that applicants reveal any information pertaining to the interviews they were offered, accepted, declined, or attended
  • Requesting that applicants reveal ranking preferences
  • Suggesting or informing applicants that placement on a rank order list or a SOAP preference list is contingent upon submission of a verbal, electronic, or written statement indicating the applicant’s preference

Applicant recruitment and selection are important components of the transition cycle; however, communication between applicants and programs should not target whether an applicant or program may rank each other but rather should explore shared similarities, interests, experiences, and professional pursuits.

The NRMP Policy team is here to help with any questions! Please reach out to policy@nrmp.org.

Fellowship Match Resources

Important Dates for the Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Fellowship Match 

Important dates for the NRMP’s largest fellowship Match, the Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match, are coming up! This fellowship Match includes almost 40 internal medicine, pediatric, addiction, and multidisciplinary specialties. 

  • November 18 at 9 p.m. ET is the Rank Order List Certification Deadline. This is the deadline for applicants and programs to certify their rank order list. A step-by-step support guide is available for fellowship programs to enter and certify their rank order list.  
  • December 2 at 12 p.m. ET is Match Day. Results will be available in the R3 system and by courtesy email. Remember to tag the NRMP in your celebratory social media posts – we want to help you celebrate Match Day! 

Upcoming Educational Webinar 

Fellowship programs – The NRMP is hosting an Introduction to the Fellowship Match webinar on January 26, 2027 at 1:00 p.m. ET. The webinar will cover program staff roles and responsibilities, how to manage your program’s participation in the Match, and key policy information. Whether your program is new to the NRMP or you are a veteran program director or coordinator who needs a refresher, this webinar covers all the basics to prepare you for your upcoming fellowship Match. Registration is required.

Introduction to the fellowship match

Upcoming Fellowship Match Deadlines

Psychiatry, Sports Medicine

  • November 4, 12 p.m. ET: Rank Order List Opens

Emergency Medicine

  • November 4, 9 p.m. ET: Rank Order List Deadline

Emergency Medicine

  • November 18, 12 p.m. ET: Match Day

Medicine and Pediatric Specialties

  • November 18, 9 p.m. ET: Rank Order List Certification Deadline

Rehabilitation Medicine

  • • November 18, 11:59 p.m. ET: Quota Change Deadline

Careers

NRMP is growing to meet the needs of the community. We currently have two positions open:

  1. Compliance Analyst

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