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Road to Residency Guide

Road To Residency Guide / February-March

Nearing your destination:

The Match

February

March

After months of research, applications, signaling, interviews, and ranking, applicants are matched into residency programs according to the preferences of both the applicants and the programs.  _

Rank Order List (ROL)

After registering for the Match and completing interviews, applicants submit in late February a list of programs to the NRMP ranked in order of preference for where they want to train. Program directors also submit to the NRMP a list of applicants, ranked in order of preference, of whom they have interviewed and who they wish to train. It is the final preferences of applicants and program directors, as expressed on their rank order lists (ROLs), that determines the Match outcome.

match logo

Ranking Programs in the Main Residency Match

Click the button to learn more about how to create your own rank order list.

Match Week

Match Week for the NRMP Main Residency Match® takes place the third week in March. It is the period of time beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday and ending at 12:00 p.m. ET on Friday, Match Day, when applicants and programs learn the results of the Match. On Monday of Match Week you'll find out if you matched into a program or not. Be prepared to use SOAP® , the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program®, even if you think you won't need it. On Friday all who matched will find out what program they'll be training in.

Match Week

Visit NRMP to learn more about Match Week.

Road to Residency video series

Learn more about budgeting, ranking, countdown to Match Day and more.

Match Day

The Friday of Match Week, at 12:00 PM ET, the NRMP Match results are sent by email, and applicants can also use a mobile device to access their results in the R3 system.

Medical schools vary in how Match results are shared with students. Contact student affairs or an advisor to learn more about your school's plans for Match week.