National Matching Services


Match Specific Privacy Notice - AOA Intern/Resident Registration Program


You are strongly encouraged to read the National Matching Services Inc. Privacy Policy (natmatch.com/terms/privacy.html) as it describes policies and procedures that apply to this Match.

Introduction

National Matching Services Inc. ("NMS", "we", "us", "our") provides matching services for the AOA Intern/Resident Registration Program (the "Match").

The Match places applicants into osteopathic graduate medical education positions in the United States starting in the first postdoctoral year of training (OGME-1) and, for some specialties, beginning in the second postdoctoral year of training (OGME-2). Match participants include institutions, residencies and internships offering positions in the Match, applicants seeking positions in the Match, schools graduating applicants who will participate in the Match, and Osteopathic Postdoctoral Training Institutions (OPTIs).

The Match Websites (natmatch.com/aoairp, aoa.matchprogram.org), including all pages, sub-pages, and successor pages (collectively referred to as the "Website") provide information about the Match and tools for participants to access, view and manage the information they submit to the Match.

To the extent permissible by law, your use of the Match Website provides your agreement and consent for NMS to collect, use, disclose and otherwise manage your information as set out in the Privacy Policy (natmatch.com/terms/privacy.html) and this Match-specific Privacy Notice. You also agree to the Website Terms of Use described in detail at natmatch.com/terms/tou.html.


Sponsoring Organization

The Match is sponsored and supervised by American Osteopathic Association (AOA) (herein referred to as the "Sponsoring Organization"). NMS administers the Match and processes your information on behalf of and under contract with the AOA.

Other than as is used to administer or support the Match, or as ordered by a court of law, NMS will not disclose or make use of any information you provide to NMS without first obtaining explicit consent from the Sponsoring Organization.


Collection of Your Information

If you start the process of registering on the Match Website (e.g., to participate in a Match), register on the Website, or use the Match Website as a participant, NMS will collect information directly from you. NMS may also obtain information about you from the Sponsoring Organization, the central application service used by osteopathic institutions, other organizations providing similar matching services for physicians, your school, or other organizations approved by the Sponsoring Organization. The information collected is used to administer and support the Match.

  • For institutions, residencies and internships, the information collected by NMS includes, but is not limited to: IP address and time of your visit to the Match Website; institution, residency and internship name; NMS code number; AOA code number; OPTI affiliation; password; security questions and answers; address; name and contact information (including email address and phone numbers) for the Director of Medical Education; program(s) offered in the Match; quotas for each program offered; reason for withdrawal, if any; Rank Order List(s); names, code numbers, and ranking of applicants matched to each program, if any.
  • For applicants, the information collected by NMS includes, but is not limited to: IP address and time of your visit to the Match Website; name; AOA code number; NMS code number; password; security questions and answers; address; phone numbers; e-mail address; school; graduation date; last four digits of Social Security Number; NRMP code number; Rank Order List; program to which applicant is matched (if any); credit card payment verification information; cheque information; name and NMS code number of partner, if you participate in the Match as a couple.
  • For schools, the information collected by NMS includes, but is not limited to: IP address and time of your visit to the Match Website; the name of school or college; contact name and contact information; password; security questions and answers; AOA code number; names and AOA Code Numbers of all students graduating from that school or college.
  • For OPTIs, the information collected by NMS includes, but is not limited to: IP address and time of your visit to the Match Website; OPTI name; AOA code number; password; NMS code number; and, lists of schools and programs belonging to that OPTI.
  • When you call or e-mail NMS with a comment or question, we will collect this information to enable NMS to respond to your comment or question and to monitor or improve our services. We may ask for your information to respond to your comment or question.
  • Sometimes NMS surveys Match participants. If you agree to complete the survey, your responses and answers to the survey questions are collected.
  • Sometimes NMS asks for information that you are not required to provide but may provide if you wish. For example, we may request certain personal information for the purposes of uniquely identifying you as a Match participant.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the information you provide is truthful, complete and correct. NMS and the Sponsoring Organization reserve the right to verify any information provided as part of your participation in the Match. If any information you provide is determined to be false or misleading, concealed or withheld your participation may be denied and/or your Match result may be revoked. The determination of whether the information you provide is false or whether you have concealed or withheld information may be shared with Match participants and/or other interested parties.


Use of Your Information

Your information may be used in the following ways:

  • NMS uses your information to identify you as a unique Match participant, to verify payment for the Match, to enter and confirm ranking information, to withdraw you from the Match, to execute the Match, to communicate with you by email and/or phone, to provide you with support, and to report results.
  • NMS uses your information to create aggregate, non-personally identifiable statistics for use by the public, by the Sponsoring Organization and by Match participants for performance, policy, development and other research purposes.
  • NMS may use your information to resolve issues raised by interested parties that are related to the accuracy, quality, security, comprehensiveness, and performance of the Match.
  • NMS may survey Match participants. Your information is used to contact you to advise you of the survey. If you agree to complete the survey, your information is used only to process the survey responses.

Disclosure of Your Information

Your information may be disclosed in the following ways:

  • NMS may disclose all of your information to the Sponsoring Organization. The Sponsoring Organization may use the information for research, marketing, commercial or other business purposes.
  • NMS may disclose program contact information on a publicly accessible section of the Match website.
  • NMS may disclose to the Sponsoring Organization information on programs not participating in the Match.
  • NMS may disclose to institutions, residencies/internships, and programs the name, code number, participation status, school and graduation date of applicants registered for the Match; the name and code number of applicants that have matched and where they have matched; results for applicants ranked by each program; contact information and information on the program types ranked by applicants who participated in the Match but were not matched; and information on eligible applicants who did not register for the Match.
  • NMS may disclose to each OPTI the Match results of applicants graduating from schools belonging to each OPTI; a list of applicants who matched to programs belonging to the OPTI; the number of positions filled and unfilled in each program belonging to the OPTI; results for applicants ranked by each program belonging to the OPTI; contact information of applicants who participated in the Match but were not matched; and information on eligible applicants who did not register for the Match.
  • NMS may disclose to applicants the name, code number, Director of Medical Education and location of all programs participating in the Match.
  • NMS may disclose to applicants the institution, residency/internship, and program to which they have been matched.
  • NMS may disclose to the NRMP® information about the participation status of applicants in the Match, including whether or not an applicant matched and to which type of program the applicant matched, as well as information that may be required to uniquely identify each applicant. (NRMP is a registered trademark of National Resident Matching Program)
  • NMS may disclose your information to third parties as requested by the Sponsoring Organization.
  • NMS may disclose your information to regulatory authorities, law enforcement or other persons, as authorized or required by law.
  • NMS reserves the right to disclose your information to interested parties, at our sole discretion, if we deem it to be in the best interest of supporting or administering the matching services.

How to Contact Us

For more information about our privacy practices, or to report a complaint, contact NMS by e-mail at aoairp@natmatch.com; by phone at (416) 977-3431; or in writing to National Matching Services Inc., 301-20 Holly St, Toronto ON M4S 3B1.


Last updated: May 14, 2018



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