Things to Know
- The list of preferred applicants you submit to the Match is called a Rank Order List.
- You must enter and certify a Rank Order List in the NMS Match System by the Rank Order List deadline for each program offered in the Match by your residency site.
- If you have no acceptable applicants to rank for a program, you should certify a Rank Order List with no ranks.
- If a program no longer has positions available, you must withdraw the program from the Match.
Key Dates
| NMS Match System Opens For Rankings | January 24, 2024 |
| Rank Order List Deadline | February 14, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time |
Strategy
The matching algorithm is designed such that it cannot be gamed or manipulated.
The only strategy is to rank your choices in order of your true preferences, without considering how you expect to be ranked by any applicant.
Rank all applicants that would be acceptable. Submitting a longer list of applicants may reduce your chances of being left with unfilled positions.
Do not rank any applicant that you consider unacceptable (i.e., you would not want to be matched to that applicant under any circumstances). You can only be matched to applicants that appear on your Rank Order List.
Certify Your Rank Order List
You must certify a Rank Order List in the NMS Match System in order for it to be used in the Match. Certifying your Rank Order List lets NMS know it is ready to be used in the Match.
You can make changes to a list even after it is certified, until the Rank Order List deadline. If you make changes after a list is certified, the list will become uncertified and you will have to certify the list again before the Rank Order List deadline in order for it to be used in the Match.
Programs with Special Requirements
No Applicants to Rank
If a program has position(s) available that you would like to fill but you have no acceptable applicants to rank, you should certify a Rank Order List with no ranks using the NMS Match System. This indicates to NMS that the program is still active and you want your position(s) to be shown as available to applicants in the Post-Match Process.
- Instructions for Submitting a Rank Order List with No Ranks
- Information about the Post-Match Process
Reversions
It is possible within the match processing to move positions that remain unfilled from one Rank Order List to a second Rank Order List, so that an attempt can be made to fill the available position(s) with applicant(s) on the second list. This is referred to as "reverting" unfilled positions.
Multiple Lists
Some programs have special requirements where they need to recruit a mix of applicants with different characteristics. These requirements can be satisfied by submitting multiple Rank Order Lists for a single program.
Guide to the NMS Match System
Consult the Account User Guide and the Rankings User Guide for detailed instructions for using the NMS Match System.
To jump to the instructions for a specific task, refer to the links below:
