can you tell a program that you will rank them number one?

[thedman]

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or is that a violation?

 

[lloyd braun]

Here is what the NRMP has to say about this issue:

"It is a material breach of this Agreement for a participant in the Matching Program to make any verbal or written contract for appointment to a concurrent year residency position prior to the Matching Program. In addition, although applicants or programs may volunteer how they plan to rank each other, it is a material breach of this Agreement to request such information."

From: http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/policies/map_main.html#restrictions

I think this wording is confusing. What is clear is that neither programs nor applicants may request of the other how they will be ranked.

By voluntarily telling a program that you will rank them #1, it is technically not a "verbal" contract since a successful match depends on them ranking you in the top (however many spots are available), though it implies to the program that if they do rank you in the top (however many spots they have), you will be matching with them. If programs rank you in their top slots, and you end up matching elsewhere because you didn't end up ranking them #1, have you now violated a verbal contract?

Also unclear is the opposite: if a program tells you that you are in their top (however many spots are available), this sounds like a verbal contract, right? If you rank them #1 and you don't match there, haven't they violated a verbal contract?

This is confusing to me because I have heard that it is OK to tell programs you will rank them #1, but in doing so, is this not a verbal contract, which is a rule violation?

 

[Livethedream]

"It is a material breach of this Agreement for a participant in the Matching Program to make any verbal or written contract for appointment to a concurrent year residency position prior to the Matching Program. In addition, although applicants or programs may volunteer how they plan to rank each other, it is a material breach of this Agreement to request such information."

You cannot enter into a contract whereby you are guaranteed a place into a concurrent year residency poistion prior to the match i.e. that you have, for definate, a place in the program. However to tell the program that you rank them highly, and visa versa, is acceptable.

 

[lloyd braun]

You cannot enter into a contract whereby you are guaranteed a place into a concurrent year residency poistion prior to the match i.e. that you have, for definate, a place in the program. However to tell the program that you rank them highly, and visa versa, is acceptable.

Yes, but telling a program you will be ranking them highly is different than telling them you will rank them #1. I think the latter could be construed as a verbal contract. Anyone else have an opinion?

 

[Samoa]

It's explicitly stated that you may volunteer information on where you plan to rank a program. Therefore even if the more litigiously-inclined among us might normally construe that as a verbal contract, NRMP does not view it as such.

Besides which, it would only even be a verbal contract if the program responds and says they are ranking you to match. You have to give AND get something of value for a contract to exist. Also you must be free to make such a contract.

So you can tell every program you're ranking them number one, and it means nothing, because by your agreement with NRMP, you are not at liberty to make a binding contract -verbal or written- with any program other than the one you match.

 

[uclabruins47]

it's perfectly legal (albeit maybe somewhat immoral) to tell all the programs that they are your #1.

 

[turkleton]

I'm not certain that its immoral... unless you tell multiple programs that they're #1- then you're crossing into something a little more fuzzy. Everything up to this point is demonstrating that you would like to go to residency there- apply, go to the interivew, thank you cards etc etc. This is common to everyone. So if you sincerely believe you want to end up at a place, telling them that they're your #1 is an extension of this process... again, provided that you're only telling this to one program.

 

[MissKiddieDoc]

my understanding is that there is nothing wrong in letting them know they are number 1. The only confusion I have is this paragraph from the NRMP website:
Both applicants and programs may express a high degree of interest in each other and try to influence future ranking decisions in their favor, but must not make statements implying a commitment. It is a material breach of this Agreement for a participant in the Matching Program to make any verbal or written contract for appointment to a concurrent year residency position prior to the Matching Program. In addition, although applicants or programs may volunteer how they plan to rank each other, it is a material breach of this Agreement to request such information.
So.. what is a statement implying a commitment? And if saying "I plan on ranking you #1" is allowed, then what would take it to the commitment level? Is it "I WILL rank you #1"? Basically the rules are kinda fuzzy. And if you say that you plan (as opposed to you WILL), is that a case where you aren't committing? Or "at this time"?And if you say you plan, or will rank someone #1 and you end up ranking someone else #1 and match there, what is the likelihood that the first program will report you for match violations and does it constitute a violation?