Medical How does match algorithm work for an MS4 applying to rads and peds?

[AlteredScale]

An MS4 I know is applying to both rads and peds residencies. Because of rads, he is also applying to prelim IM and prelim peds programs. He is concerned he might not match a prelim program. Let's say he ranks 10 rads residencies with associated prelim programs as his top ten choices and below that 5 peds programs. If he matched one or more rads residencies but no prelim programs and matched one or more peds programs, would the match algorithm match him to rads and let him SOAP for a prelim year or would it match him with a peds program? In other words, would the algorithm consider him unmatched for rads because he did not match a preliminary year and therefore match him with a lower ranked peds program, or would it recognize his rank preference for a rads residency over a peds residency, match him to the rads residency and let him SOAP for his prelim year? Thank you.

If ranking advanced and prelim, it is not the same rank list. You create a supplemental rank list for your prelim spots. So they are independent and in some ways mutually exclusive of each other. As it is on the programs side as well. Meaning: Your chance of matching to advanced does not rely on the fact that you matched prelim, since both match algorithms essentially run at the same time.

https://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Supp_ROL_MRM-App.pdf

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[AlteredScale]

Thank you for your response. Just to make sure I understand it and the NRMP guidance you provided, in the scenario I described, if the MS4 matched a rads residency that he ranked higher than any peds residencies, the result of the match would be that he would be matched to that rads residency and would go into the SOAP process to find a prelim or transitional year. The presence of lower ranked peds residencies on his ranking list would be irrelevant. Is that correct?

The algorithm only tries to match you in to the supplemental (prelim) spot if you match into an advanced spot.

So, if you match into rads (advanced) on your primary you have two outcomes after that: you match into a prelim process, you don't match and end up soaping into a prelim spot.

If you match into Peds (categorical) on your primary, the algorithm will not try and place you into a prelim since you did not fulfill the initial criteria of matching into an advanced spot.

Rank Your Programs

The process of ranking your programs.

www.nrmp.org