March 31, 2026

Event

Matching Process Results Now Available

Results of the 2026 matching process are now available in the Extern Match Portal. Sites that match with applicants are encouraged to start the affiliation agreement process with universities and graduate programs as soon as possible.

The Post-Match Process begins at 12:00 p.m. noon Eastern Time on March 31, 2026, and concludes on April 30, 2026. During this period, sites with available positions may only consider applicants from NYNJADOT and PENDELDOT academic programs who did not obtain a position in the matching process.

Registered applicants who did not obtain a position may submit new applications to sites with available positions through the Portal. Applicants and sites may contact each other, share information, and conduct interviews, but no offers may be made or accepted before April 14, 2026.

Beginning April 14, 2026, sites may begin offering Post-Match positions to applicants, and applicants may accept these offers. There is no ranking and matching process used in the Post-Match Process. When making an offer in the Post-Match Process, the site should send an email directly to the applicant, copying the applicant's DCT, to confirm the offer.

After the Post-Match Process concludes on April 30, 2026, sites with available positions may offer those positions directly to any applicant, including individuals who are not enrolled in NYNJADOT or PENDELDOT academic programs.

March 24, 2026

Event

Match Results will be available March 31

Results of the Extern Match will be released to applicants, sites, and academic programs on March 31, 2026.

Result notification emails will be sent to all participants in the morning and will be available online in the Extern Match Portal starting at 12:00 p.m. noon Eastern Time on March 31, 2026.

Sites that match with applicants are encouraged to start the affiliation agreement process with Universities/graduate programs as soon as possible.

Unmatched applicants and sites with unfilled or newly available positions may participate in the Post-Match Process. During the Post-Match Process (March 31 - April 30, 2026), participating sites may only fill available positions with unmatched applicants from NYNJADOT and PENDELDOT academic programs. Applicants and sites may contact each other, share information, and conduct interviews, but no offers may be made or accepted before April 14, 2026. Once the Post-Match Process concludes on April 30, 2026, sites may fill remaining positions through any means, including applicants outside of those programs.

March 17, 2026

Event

The Rank Order List Deadline is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, March 24

All applicant and site Rank Order Lists must be entered and certified in the Extern Match Portal by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.

Applicants who will not be submitting any rankings should withdraw from the Extern Match. Applicants who withdraw are still permitted to participate in the Post-Match Process for positions that remain available after the matching process.

Sites that have no acceptable applicants to rank or wish to withdraw a track because it no longer has positions available must also indicate this through the Extern Match Portal by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.

March 2, 2026

Event

Interview Scheduling Deadline is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 17, 2026

Sites and applicants must schedule their interviews using the NMS Match System by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 17, 2026. Interview itineraries for sites and applicants are available in the NMS Match System and are updated in real-time.

March 2, 2026

Event

NMS Match System Now Open for Rankings

The NMS Match System is now available for applicants and sites to submit rankings for the Extern Match. The Rank Order List deadline is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 24, 2026. Rank Order Lists must be entered and certified in the NMS Match System by the deadline to be used in the Extern Match.

We strongly recommend that applicants and sites enter and certify Rank Order Lists well before the deadline date to avoid potential problems near the deadline.

February 24, 2026

Best Practices

Ranking Strategy and Best Practices

We want to remind you of several best practices that you should use when submitting a Rank Order List for the Match:

Rank All Acceptable Choices

Participants may rank as many choices as they wish. Submitting a longer Rank Order List will not jeopardize your chances of matching with your most preferred choice, but may increase the likelihood of getting a match.

Rank Your Choices According To Your True Preference

Don't consider how highly an applicant or site might rank you when ordering the choices on your Rank Order List. Using any strategy other than ranking according to your true preference may lead to a worse result for you.

Do Not Rank Any Choice That Is Unacceptable

Applicants can only be matched with sites that are on their Rank Order List. Sites can only be matched with applicants who are on their Rank Order List. Do not rank any applicant or site that you would not want to match with under any circumstances.

January 26, 2026

Event

Interview Scheduling Now Open

The Extern Match Portal includes a built-in interview scheduling module that simplifies and automates the entire interview process for both applicants and sites. The module helps you save time, stay organized, and manage all interviews in one place. All sites are required to use the Extern Match Portal to schedule interviews.

Beginning on January 26, 2026, sites may send interview invitations to applicants using the Portal. Invitations may be sent through March 9, 2026. All interviews must be completed by March 17, 2026.

Applicants receive interview invitations by email and can also view them in the Portal, where they may select and book from available interview times. Interview itineraries for both applicants and sites update in real time. DCTs also have visibility into the interviews being offered to their students.

Step-by-step instructions are available for applicants, sites, and academic programs.

January 16, 2026

Event

Application Deadline is January 23, 2026

The final deadline for submitting applications to sites participating in the 2026 Extern Match is at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 23, 2026. After this deadline, applicants will no longer be able to register for the Match, update their application information, or submit their applications.

It is advisable not to wait until the last day, January 23, 2026, to submit applications. Applying early allows ample time to resolve any issues that might come up unexpectedly.

Applications can be submitted even if the attached reference letters have not yet been received. The applications will be updated automatically as soon as the letters are received, even if the letters arrive after the January 23, 2026 deadline.

January 13, 2026

Event

Set Up Your Interviews

The Extern Match Portal is open for sites to set up their schedule of availability for interviews. You can create your interview types and add your interview timeslots. However, you will not be able to send interview invitations to your candidates until January 26, 2026.

1. Update your interview settings

Add at least one interview type (for example, Interview, Interview Day, Panel Interview). Applicants may schedule one interview per interview type.

2. Add your interview events

Create interview events with specific dates and times. Each timeslot is created as a separate event. You can speed this up by selecting multiple dates for the same event time or by creating consecutive back-to-back timeslots within a single time block. You may also add a location or video link, upload an instructional PDF, and set a lockout date. After the lockout date, applicants must contact the site directly to make changes.

3. Add candidates

Add applicants to your Interview Candidates list by setting their application Review Status to Selected for Interview or by searching the master applicant list. You may email candidates when they are selected and advise them when invitations will be sent.

4. Send interview invitations beginning Jan. 26

Beginning on January 26, 2026, sites can send interview invitations through the Portal. The Invite link will become visible automatically when the system opens. Once invitations are sent, applicants can immediately self-schedule. Changes or cancellations can be communicated to candidates automatically, and invitations should be resent if new events are added.

5. View and print your itinerary

Sites can view and print their interview itinerary, which shows all scheduled interviews and booked candidates. The itinerary can be filtered by Event Name, Interview Type, and Candidate Name. Updates to the interview schedule appear in real time and are also summarized in a daily digest email.

December 1, 2025

Event

Applicant Registration for the 2026 Extern Match is Now Open

The Northeastern Regional Externship Match (Extern Match) is the centralized application and matching service for externship placements, and registration for the 2026 Extern Match is now open for applicants.

Information for Applicants

The Director of Clinical Training at your academic program is responsible for and oversees your participation in the Extern Match. Before you register, confirm with your DCT that you meet all requirements and should register to participate.

Information and instructions for applicants interested in participating in the Extern Match are available on the Applicant Registration page.

Information For Academic Programs

Academic Programs that are members of NYNJADOT & PENDELDOT received an email from NMS at the end of November with initial login credentials for the Extern Match Portal. If you do not receive that email by December 1, 2025, please contact NMS.

Academic Programs are responsible for ensuring that their students participate appropriately in the Extern Match and that both the Academic Program and its students comply with the Extern Match Guidelines.

The registration fee is $100 USD per student and is non-refundable and non-transferable. While it is expected that most students will have to pay this cost themselves, some academic programs may choose to cover this fee for their students, either by paying with each student individually using a school credit card, reimbursing students who pay the fee themselves, or making a single consolidated payment directly to NMS for all their students. Information on paying registration fees for your students is available on the Academic Program Registration page.

Get Support

Answers to frequently asked questions about getting started are available in the Help Resources for Applicants and Academic Programs.

November 3, 2025

Event

Site Registration Open for the 2026 Extern Match

Site Registration for the 2026 Extern Match is now open.

The Primary Contact or a contact person at each site is sent a personalized link by email to register their site for the 2026 Extern Match. If your site does not receive the registration email by November 6, 2025, please contact NMS for assistance.