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NRMP’s Charting Outcomes 2026 is Out. You Should Read It.

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The NRMP just published their Charting Outcomes™: Characteristics of Applicants who Match to Their Preferred Specialty for 2026, data I keep bookmarked because I refer to it so frequently. There are separate reports for US MDs, DOs, and IMGs, and results are further broken down into specialties. Charting Outcomes includes extremely helpful information, including what the median board scores, number of contiguous ranks, and number of research experiences were for those in each specialty who successfully matched – and those who did not.

It’s important to make sure you are in the range for your intended field. (Median Step 2 CK score for successful versus unsuccessful family medicine matchees: 244 versus 230; for dermatology: 258 versus 252.)  Also, make sure to compare the competitiveness of different specialties if you’re seeking to apply in two fields.

Of note, until recently, Charting Outcomes was published every two years, but the NRMP has recently committed to publishing it annually.

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Match Week is Here

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Match week has arrived, having officially started at 10 AM EST today when applicants received notifications indicating whether they’d matched. Those who didn’t obtain a position can participate in the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), which will proceed from today through Thursday. (If you’re interested in the ins and outs of SOAP and its universally disliked predecessor the Scramble, take a look here.)

This Friday, March 20, applicants will learn where they’ve matched. 

Good luck!

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The NRMP Rank Order List Due Date is Fast Approaching: Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

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The rank list deadline is March 4, 2026 at 9 PM EST, however waiting until the last minute and making impulsive changes to your list is not a great idea ;).

Ensure you avoid simple missteps in creating your list. Improving written materials and interview skills is important, but all of that work can go down the drain if applicants do not understand basic strategies for the Match. In November 2015, the NRMP published an article called, “Understanding the Interview and Ranking Behaviors of Unmatched International Medical Students and Graduates in the 2013 Main Residency Match” in the Journal of Graduate Medical Education. The data is still relevant today and especially important for IMGs who represented the majority of unmatched candidates.

Sadly, the authors found that some applicants made strategic errors including the below:

– Not attending all interviews, thus failing to capitalize on every opportunity to market themselves.

– Declining to rank all programs at which they interviewed or not ranking all programs they would be willing to attend.

– Misunderstanding the Match and ranking programs at which applicants did not interview.

– Failing to rank programs based on true preferences or ranking programs based on the perceived likelihood of matching.

Here is a video explanation of the Match algorithm. If you do not understand how the Match works, it is absolutely critical that you learn about it to avoid destructive errors.

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Match 2025 Results Are Out

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The NRMP® has already published data from last month’s Match. Of note, under 80% of the applicants who submitted a certified rank order lists matched to either a categorical or preliminary year. Match rates specifically for US-citizen and foreign national IMGs were 67.8% and 58.0%, respectively.

My field of emergency medicine did quite well this year, a big contrast from two years ago. (The field is notorious for waxing and waning in popularity over the years.) Primary care specialties also eked out a win.

See more Match statistics here.

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Your Residency Application: Five Factors to Prioritize When Creating your Rank List

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Creating your Match rank list can be absolutely agonizing because it feels like so much is at stake. Sometimes it helps to step back and look at the big picture. Below, I briefly note a few important considerations when making your list:

  1. Make sure you understand how the NRMP algorithm works. See my previous blog post regarding errors to avoid at all costs. The key is to rank in the order you want – first goes first, second goes second, etc.
  2. Consider your happiness and life balance. Blasphemy perhaps, but I would argue that they are more important than the strength of the training program.
  3. Reflect on the culture, geography, size, and even maturity/age of the program. Think about whether you will fit in.
  4. Consider whether you could spend your whole life at the institution or in that program’s location. It’s a lot to grapple with, but many residents graduate and stay for the rest of their careers. (Of course, you don’t have to stay post-residency, so if this consideration is too stressful, don’t worry about it.)
  5. Decide whether you liked the program director, chairperson, and faculty generally. They could make or break your happiness and success.
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About Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital. She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more

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