Pre-match agreement?

[tslick]

As an osteopathic student, I am an independent applicant through the NRMP. Does this mean that I can make pre-match agreements through ACGME residency programs?

Anyone have any experience with this?

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[Alan Diamond]

You can sign with a program out of the match as long as you withdrawl from the match. I have a couple of classmates that did that.

 

[nychick]

Can anyone offer more details on how this works? I'm curious...

 

[Jim Picotte]

It's pretty simple, you interview at a program, the PD really likes you, hands you a contract and you sign. You don't go through the match. Pretty much anyone but non-4th year MD students can do this. Starting next year the NRMP is changing the rules and there will likely be a huge decrease in the number of prematches offered. The NRMP is requiring that a program either offer ALL their slots in the match, or don't go through the match at all. If you don't go through the match, you'll only be getting IMG and DO students which isn't an ideal situation for most programs.

 

[rirriri]

jim,

you mentioned there will be a "huge decrease" in prematching next year. i was under the impression that prematching is being eliminated altogether. you think prematching will still exist next year?

thanks
rirriri

 

[Jim Picotte]

Yeah it will still exist. Even now there are some hospitals who don't use the match although I would never want to work there, but they do exist. Some places don't get any AMG's in their programs so it's no big deal for them (think some of the smaller NY city hospitals). It'll be pretty much gone though for the vast majority of programs.