Couples Matching

Source: AAMC’s Careers in Medicine, NRMP website

What is the Couples Match?

The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) allows any two people in the match to link their rank list. You create your rank list together, and the system guarantees that you will be placed in a combination that you have chosen. Both applicants will match at the highest rank combination in which both have been accepted. In order to sign up for the Couples Match, you must designate it on your NRMP match list. The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) application does not require any information about Couples Matching, but there is an option to designate ‘yes’ if you’d like.

What should I consider when making this choice?

A match is established only if both partners match at a pair of programs. Partners listed as a couple are treated by the matching algorithm solely as a couple. If applicants do not obtain a match as a couple, the algorithm does NOT process their lists separately to find a possible match for each individual.

In the Main Residency Match^®, the algorithm considers only a couple’s primary rank order lists when attempting to establish a match. The matching algorithm does NOT consider a couple’s supplemental rank order lists as a unit.

You should also determine your priorities. One example is living together vs. long distance.

Who can Couples Match?

Any two people can agree to Couples Match! Married couples, engaged couples, dating couples, best friends, siblings, or even enemies! You do not need to be married or have any formal documentation of a relationship! You can couples match with a person from another school.

How do we become a couple?

First you must register individually for a Match in the Registration, Ranking, and Results® (R3®) system. One partner can send a couple request through the R3 system to the other partner. Once the other partner accepts, each individual must pay the couple fee. The process is completed when the Couple Status field in the R3 system reads “Accepted” and Fee Status is “Paid”. You can find instructions here.

What if we’re interested in Early Match Specialties or Military Match?

Early match specialties, including Ophthalmology and Urology don’t allow you to Couples Match into the advanced specialty, but you CAN couples match through your NRMP Preliminary Year program for ophthalmology if you're required to submit a separate rank list for specific programs.

What should I know when I start to apply?

The number of programs you will need to apply to depend on the specialty you are applying to and the competitiveness of your application

Each partner of a couple may rank up to 20 unique program codes on their primary rank order lists and up to 20 unique program codes on all their supplemental rank order lists combined before an extra rank fee of $30 per additional program code is charged. The “No Match” program code is considered one unique program. Additional fees will be charged for rank order lists with 100 or more ranks.

Do I have to inform programs I’m Couples Matching?

You are NOT required to tell programs, they don’t know unless you tell them!! But, there can be benefits of telling programs, such as helping coordinate interviews. Many programs like couples because they are typically happier together. Programs may communicate with another department during interview season, to help get your partner an interview, or after it’s made its rank list. If the program really likes applicant A, it may call the other department to find out where applicant B is on their list.

I want to tell programs I’m Couples Matching, how do I do it?

There are a few options for telling programs. Some of the most common ways are during the interview process or when you’re scheduling your interviews. Others add it to their thank you/follow up email. There is also the option to check the box on ERAS.

I’m not sure if I’m Couples Matching, when do I need to decide?

You just need to decide before you submit your Rank Order List (ROL) in February. It’s better to decide sooner than later as programs will want to know this information, and it could work to your benefit!

We’re ready to make our ROL. What do we need to know?

You both have to have the same number of ranks. Each program ranked by one partner must be paired with an active program or with an indication of ‘No Match’ by the other partner. Using the “No Match” option means that one partner is willing to be unmatched to a position in the program designated at that rank.

Each partner can submit no more than 300 ranks, including listings of ‘No Match’. Lists can not be certified at the exact same moment, so no ceremonial ‘both push the button at the same time’. The R3 system has to check the second partner’s list for duplicate pairings.

A program can be ranked more than once on a partner’s rank order list provided that the corresponding rank on the other partner’s list is different. Here is an example:

Partner A

Partner B

Program 1

Program A

Program 1

Program B

Program 1

Program C

Program 1

Program D

Program 2

Program A