Things to Know
- Prior to the Rank Order List deadline, you must provide applicants with information about eligibility requirements for appointment.
- 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 by your residency site in the Match.
- 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 | February 9, 2026 |
| Rank Order List Deadline | February 24, 2026 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, even if you may not fill a position). 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 to a list that has been certified, you simply have to certify your list again before the deadline for it to be used in the Match.
Special Cases
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 for the program, 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 after the Match.
Unique Requirements
If your program has specific recruiting objectives that you are unsure of how to handle in the Match, please contact NMS.
Rankings User Guide
Consult the Rankings User Guide for detailed instructions for submitting your Rank Order List in the NMS Match System.
Rankings User Guide