NRMP
The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) is a private, not-for-profit corporation established in 1952 to provide a uniform date of appointment to positions in graduate medical education (GME) in the United States.
The NRMP Main Match provides an impartial venue for matching applicants' preferences for residency positions with program directors' preferences for applicants. Each year approximately 16,000 U.S. allopathic medical school seniors and 15,000 graduates of osteopathic, Canadian or foreign medical schools compete for approximately 24,000 residency positions.
There are four categories of programs participating in the Match:
Categorical - programs that begin in the PGY-1 year and provide the training required for board certification in medical specialties.
Advanced - programs that begin in the PGY-2 year after a year of prerequisite training.
Preliminary - one-year programs beginning in the PGY-1 year that provide prerequisite training for advanced programs.
Physician - programs that are reserved for physicians who have had prior graduate medical education. Physician programs are not available to senior U.S. medical students.
The NRMP is not an application service or a job placement service. Applicants must apply directly to residency programs in addition to registering for the Match. Most programs participate in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), which transmits residency applications to program directors via the Internet. Applicants must register with both NRMP and ERAS to participate in the services of each.
Specialties Matching Service (SMS)
In addition to the Match for first and second year residency positions, the NRMP's Specialties Matching Service (SMS) conducts matches for advanced residency or fellowship positions. Those specialty matches occur throughout the year and each requires its own registration process with the NRMP. Fellowship positions generally begin in July.
Specialties Matching Service is a service provided by the NRMP to organizations of training program directors whose entry level positions require applicants to have completed one or more years of graduate medical education. To qualify for matching services, sponsoring organizations must identify an individual to represent the organization in negotiating the terms of the services to be provided. Beginning in July 2001 and each year thereafter, in order for matching services to be provided, each specialty is requested to:
- verify that at least 75% of the programs with available positions in a given year will be registered for the match,
- encourage programs to actively participate by submitting a rank order list, and
- have at least 75% of the available positions within the specialty registered with the NRMP.
Organizations receiving matching services are expected to identify eligible programs and to assist the NRMP in communicating with the member programs. Contact the NRMP at (202) 862-6077or toll free 1-866-617-5834 if you wish to discuss establishing a new sub-specialty match.
The Schedule of Dates for each fellowship match are negotiated with sponsoring organizations. The NRMP reserves the right to adjust SMS schedules to accommodate the demands for its services.
The following specialty matches are managed by the NRMP. The dates in parenthesis indicate the year when the match started.
- Abdominal Transplant Surgery (2005)
- Allergy/Immunology (2007)
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (1995)
- Colon & Rectal Surgery (1984)
- Combined Musculoskeletal Matching Program (CMMP)
- Hand Surgery (1990
- Medical Specialties Matching Program (MSMP)
- Cardiovascular Disease (1986)
- Endocrinology (will start in 2008)
- Gastroenterology (1986-1999; rejoined in 2006)
- Hematology (2006)
- Hematology/Oncology (2006)
- Infectious Disease (1986-1990; rejoined in 1994)
- Nephrology (2008)
- Oncology (2006)
- Pulmonary(1986)
- Pulmonary and Critical Medicine (1986)
- Rheumatology (2005)
- Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine (2008)
- Obstetrics/Gynecology
- Reproductive Endocrinology (1991)
- Gynecologic Oncology (1993)
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine (1994)
- Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery (2001)
- Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (1991)
- Pediatric Critical Care Medicine (2000)
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine (1994)
- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (2001)
- Pediatric Rheumatology (2004)
- Pediatric Specialties Fall Match (2009)
- Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Pediatric Specialities Spring Match (2009)
- Pediatric Cardiology (1999)
- Pediatric Gastroenterology (2007)
- Pediatric Nephrology (2009)
- Pediatric Pulmonology (2009)
- Reproductive Endocrinology (1991)
- Pediatric Surgery (1992)
- Primary Care Sports Medicine (1994)
- Radiology
- Interventional Radiology (2002)
- Neuroradiology (2001)
- Surgical Critical Care (2004)
- Thoracic Surgery (1988)
- Vascular Surgery (1988)