Question about NRMP...

[iwakuni_doc]

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I've been taking a look at the Match Participation Agreement & I'm a little confused about the issue of withdrawing for positions outside of the Match.

Let me preface this discussion by stating that I am an independent candidate, not a senior medical student - the NRMP clearly states that programs can only take senior US allopathic students via the Match.

The agreement states that "Independent applicants may withdraw from the Matching Program under certain conditions, but only if the NRMP receives their withdrawal request prior to the rank order list certification deadline through the Match Site Withdrawal screen for the Matching Program. Applicants who have accepted a residency position through any other national matching service or by agreement outside the Matching Program must withdraw from the Matching Program for a concurrent year residency position. Failure to withdraw from the Matching Program for a concurrent year position will be a material breach of this Agreement ". This sounds to me like that independent applicants could accept a residency position offered outside of the match. The NRMP even seems to expect a certain degree of this by setting a deadline (1/30) for programs to update the quota of residency spots that will be open for the actual match.

However, there is one statement later in the agreement that seems to counter this: 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 .

Thus we can withdraw after accepting a position outside the match & programs can reduce their number of spots offered within the match - but it's a material breach to sign a contract for that position outside the match 😕 😕

Any interpretation by others would be much appreciated.

 

[edfig99]

I think what those two seemingly conflicting clauses are saying is "look, you can accept a position outside of the match - just do it before the deadlines AND withdraw from the match program completely," (that's section 2.4.1) however, "if you decide to stay in the match, then you and the program can't sign a contract before the match program is run - you can't verbally or in writing, commit to ranking each other number one, as a way to dupe the system, and you can't commit to signing a contract and not telling anybody about it." (section 6.0)

the two clauses are just saying you can't have your cake and eat it to. you either go outside the match, or you don't.

 

[gungho]

Had the same question which I posed to NRMP and edfig99 is correct. ONLY independent applicants can accept positions outside the match and then the applicant must withdraw and the program has to reduce their quota before the respective deadlines. No one is to solicit their ranking from either side.

 

[gungho]

Had the same question which I posed to NRMP and edfig99 is correct. ONLY independent applicants can accept positions outside the match and then the applicant must withdraw and the program has to reduce their quota before the respective deadlines. No one is to solicit their ranking from either side.

 

[Amma]

Does anyone know if you can withdraw a rank list at this point? (after having submitted it?)
-just wondering

 

[inositide]

Does anyone know if you can withdraw a rank list at this point? (after having submitted it?)
-just wondering

I don't think that you think withdraw a rank list at this point, but I think you can withdraw completely from the match and sit out.

 

[Idiopathic]

I believe that once a ROL is submitted, it is binding, and if you match, you are bound by the same rules.



HOWEVER, I still argue that US seniors, assuming they havent 'registered' for the match (which you dont have to do until Feb 22, in reality) can take spots outside the match. They cannot, however, withdraw from the match, once registered, where independent applicants can. The language is fairly clear that the main difference between US seniors and indiies is that one cant withdraw from the match, whereas the other can.

 

[Stephanieukmed]

I believe that once a ROL is submitted, it is binding, and if you match, you are bound by the same rules.



HOWEVER, I still argue that US seniors, assuming they havent 'registered' for the match (which you dont have to do until Feb 22, in reality) can take spots outside the match. They cannot, however, withdraw from the match, once registered, where independent applicants can. The language is fairly clear that the main difference between US seniors and indiies is that one cant withdraw from the match, whereas the other can.

Not completely true, one of my friends withdrew from the match (as a senior medical student) a week before match day last year because he decided to go into investment banking instead of medicine. It is just a paperwork nightmare.