Establishing a Fellowship Match

Are you looking to join the NRMP’s Specialties Matching Service (SMS) and create a Match for your subspecialty? Learn more about the process and how to contact the NRMP for help.

Why Partner with the NRMP for a Match?

There are many reasons why a Match could be the best approach for your subspecialty. Here are just a few:

  • A Match allows applicants and program directors to consider each other without pressure and to develop rank order lists that reflect their true preferences.
  • A Match optimizes the choices of applicants and program directors, ensuring each achieves the most preferred training choice possible.
  • A Match eliminates common recruiting problems such as early or exploding offers and applicants holding onto or reneging on offers in search of better options.
  • A Match provides applicants, program directors, and the medical education community with valuable data about Match outcomes and training preferences to address future recruitment and manpower needs.

Which Fellowship Programs Are Eligible?

Only programs in a subspecialty for which a Match is being conducted may offer positions through the SMS. To ensure a quality training experience for applicants, the NRMP may be selective in determining which programs are eligible to participate.

To be eligible to offer positions through an SMS Match, a program must be either:

  • accredited by the ACGME or an entity acceptable to the NRMP, or
  • affiliated with an ACGME-accredited program in the core discipline, or
  • lead to certification or endorsement and oversight by a board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS®).

How Many Programs Do We Need to Start a Match?

Because Matches are more successful when the majority of programs participate, NRMP has developed criteria that encourage greater success. Each Fellowship Match sponsor must verify annually that:

  • at least 75% of the programs with available positions for the appointment year will be registered for the Match,
  • those programs will actively participate by submitting rank order lists, and
  • at least 75% of the available positions within the specialty will be registered with the NRMP.

Fellowship Matches occur throughout the year and Match schedules are developed in coordination with the sponsor to best suit the needs of program directors and applicants. There is no cost to sponsoring organizations and minimal fees for programs and applicants.

Want to Learn More?

Please contact NRMP at support@nrmp.org or 866-653-NRMP (6767) to learn more about our comprehensive matching services for your specialty.