Couples Match Question

[blackcadillacs]

Hi all,

My SO and I are making our match list in the same specialty, and some confusing questions are rising about how the algorithm works, particularly about the ordering of the ranks. Example:

Let's say we're ranking 2 programs: Harvard and UCSF. Both have 5 spots.

At Harvard: My SO is #5 (ranked to match), and I'm #6 (just outside the 5 spots they have). The 4 other candidates ahead have ranked Harvard as #1 (so they will match at Harvard).
At UCSF: We are #1 and #2.

Our rank list is as follows (me / him):
1. Harvard - Harvard (we won't get this because I'm ranked #6, just outside ranked to match)
2. Harvard - UCSF
3. UCSF - Harvard

We now drop to our second choice. Will we get this choice? Bc he is ranked to match at UCSF, does his #5 spot at Harvard now open up, allowing me to match there, so we get our #2? Or is the algorithm not conditional in this way? This would significantly affect a rank list because now the order matters. Had UCSF - Harvard been our 2nd choice, we would have matched at this choice instead.

I hope this makes sense! Thank you!!

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[DrBowtie]

Hi all,

My SO and I are making our match list in the same specialty, and some confusing questions are rising about how the algorithm works, particularly about the ordering of the ranks. Example:

Let's say we're ranking 2 programs: Harvard and UCSF. Both have 5 spots.

At Harvard: My SO is #5 (ranked to match), and I'm #6 (just outside the 5 spots they have). The 4 other candidates ahead have ranked Harvard as #1 (so they will match at Harvard).
At UCSF: We are #1 and #2.

Our rank list is as follows (me / him):
1. Harvard - Harvard (we won't get this because I'm ranked #6, just outside ranked to match)
2. Harvard - UCSF
3. UCSF - Harvard

We now drop to our second choice. Will we get this choice? Bc he is ranked to match at UCSF, does his #5 spot at Harvard now open up, allowing me to match there, so we get our #2? Or is the algorithm not conditional in this way? This would significantly affect a rank list because now the order matters. Had UCSF - Harvard been our 2nd choice, we would have matched at this choice instead.

I hope this makes sense! Thank you!!

Seemimgly you would match at choice 2. As you've laid it out, there is no way for number 1 to occur.

Just as with a single applicant, rank each permutation in your order of preference including scenarios in which one of you wouldn't match at all.