NRMP® Statement on Match Policy and Resident Security and Background Clearance Protocols for Veterans Affairs

ian who trains or rotates through VA hospitals.  As we understand it, U.S. and international physicians will no longer be afforded a Special Agreement Check (SAC) but rather will be subject to robust background checks and FBI-facilitated security clearances. The change in vetting process(es) may have significant impacts on many institutions across the country.

A cornerstone of the NRMP’s Match Participation Agreements is the required disclosure of complete, timely, and accurate information.  For programs specifically that includes institutional policies regarding eligibility for appointment such as, but not limited to,

• Expected or required academic, educational, or prior training credentials;
• Pre-employment drug testing and background check; and
• Information relevant to licensure status or visa status.  

The Match Participation Agreement mandates that such information be provided to all interviewed applicants prior to the published Rank Order List (ROL) deadline for the Main Match and all fellowship Matches. For applicants, this ensures they have the information necessary to know what each program requires to consider them eligible for training.

If your institution has any affiliation with the VA, we ask that you immediately begin working with your programs, especially those in the Main Residency Match and the Fellowship Matches that remain open for July 2025 appointments, to ensure they are aware of the new requirements and are communicating those requirements to their interviewed applicants.  This change already is in effect for international medical graduate health professions trainees and will be implemented for U.S. physicians in April 2025.  Disclosure of these new vetting protocols is an essential step in maintaining compliance with Match policy.

We recognize that many Match-participating programs rely on rotations at the VA to ensure their residents receive comprehensive training and that residents who do not pass the necessary screenings may have limited options.  The NRMP expects programs to explore alternatives for those applicants; however, the NRMP’s Waiver Policy outlines the procedures that must be followed in the event a program must sever its match commitment to an applicant.

The Six Essential Questions for the VHA Tier 1 Background Investigation/Foreign National Vetting provides some insight into the new policy.  It is our hope that the OAA at the VA will soon release additional information directly to the GME community, well in advance of when the increased vetting protocols go into effect for the 2025-2026 appointment year.  The NRMP will do what it can to also message any updates. If you have questions, please contact policy@nrmp.org.