Why does it take 3 days to find out where you matched?

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dmitrinyr

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Why does it take until thursday to find out where you matched if the spot is filled on monday of match week? Why can't they just tell us on monday? It's not like that spot will be taken away from you. For example, lets say I ranked programs in many states. Why should I be kept is suspense for 3 days in what state I'll be for the next 3-5 years? I don't know, maybe it's my matchitis that's flaring up, but I cannot wait the 40 or so days until the monday of match week let alone 3 days later when match day comes. Sorry just venting.

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Because, if you don't match, you now get a chance to scramble and find a spot. Then, on match day, you get to open an envelope like everyone else.

Monday - applicants find out whether they matched or not, make plans for what to do in the scramble.
Tuesday - Scramble
Wednesday - Scramble continues for very unlucky programs / applicants
Thursday - Match day.

So, hopefully waiting until thursday is a waste for you!
 
I'm a IMG from a caribbean school and so match day activities are very different that if I was graduating from a US medical school. We have approximately 500-600 matching students every year and we don't meet in an auditorium with the whole class on match day and find out where we all match together unlike the graduates of US schools. We all just find out on our own the results of the match. I would love to have similar event of match day along with my fellow graduates of my school but it is impossible given that our students are based in many states of US and some in UK. I guess I'll have to try to relax until match week. Good luck to all.
 
I would love to have similar event of match day along with my fellow graduates of my school . . .

Ah yes, nothing like the look of utter disappointment when that envelope opens . . .
 
Speculation on my part, maybe it's to avoid a situation where someone is disappointed where they matched and then fish for a better program on scramble day.
 
Speculation on my part, maybe it's to avoid a situation where someone is disappointed where they matched and then fish for a better program on scramble day.

I was under the impression that once you matched into a program, you have to do at least 1 year at that program. Is this correct? Is there a legal way to get out of a matched program?
 
The bigger and more important question is why does it take 4 weeks after rank order lists are submitted for the computer to do its magic?

It shouldnt take that long.

Once ROLs are submitted, it should take no longer than say 4 days to spit out the results.

The actual computer processing time should take only a few minutes. I'm sure they ahve an automated process by which the ROL lists from NRMP are fed into a computer. Sure, they have to do some diagnostics to make sure everything is working, but it doesnt require 4 freaking weeks for that ****.
 
The bigger and more important question is why does it take 4 weeks after rank order lists are submitted for the computer to do its magic?

It shouldnt take that long.

Once ROLs are submitted, it should take no longer than say 4 days to spit out the results.

The actual computer processing time should take only a few minutes. I'm sure they ahve an automated process by which the ROL lists from NRMP are fed into a computer. Sure, they have to do some diagnostics to make sure everything is working, but it doesnt require 4 freaking weeks for that ****.

I agree. Why are we made to sit here and worry after we have certified our rank lists? Once every applicant and program has certified their lists nothing changes, yet there still is 3 weeks until the match results are announced. Why? I doubt it takes 3 weeks to makes sure that there are no kinks in the system. I know this is just pointless venting and fraustration, but I really want someone to give me a good reason for that 3-4 weeks of waiting.
 
The bigger and more important question is why does it take 4 weeks after rank order lists are submitted for the computer to do its magic?

It shouldnt take that long.

Once ROLs are submitted, it should take no longer than say 4 days to spit out the results.

The actual computer processing time should take only a few minutes. I'm sure they ahve an automated process by which the ROL lists from NRMP are fed into a computer. Sure, they have to do some diagnostics to make sure everything is working, but it doesnt require 4 freaking weeks for that ****.

You sound like you suspect foul play. I bet the pc is capable of matching 95% of the applicants and 5% have to be done manually.
 
Because, if you don't match, you now get a chance to scramble and find a spot. Then, on match day, you get to open an envelope like everyone else.

Monday - applicants find out whether they matched or not, make plans for what to do in the scramble.
Tuesday - Scramble
Wednesday - Scramble continues for very unlucky programs / applicants
Thursday - Match day.

So, hopefully waiting until thursday is a waste for you!

I always found it interesting that that 3-day waiting period existed, basically to smooth over the feelings of those who didn't match/fill. Kind of strange. Medicine can be such a cold and impersonal field yet for those three days they try to make the scramblers feel ok with their situation and sort of let them pretend they matched just like everyone else. Kind of heartwarming. Then you show up to your residency on July 1. ;)
 
The bigger and more important question is why does it take 4 weeks after rank order lists are submitted for the computer to do its magic?

It shouldnt take that long.

Once ROLs are submitted, it should take no longer than say 4 days to spit out the results.

The actual computer processing time should take only a few minutes. I'm sure they ahve an automated process by which the ROL lists from NRMP are fed into a computer. Sure, they have to do some diagnostics to make sure everything is working, but it doesnt require 4 freaking weeks for that ****.

I also agree. The waiting period for Match results is ridiculous. I suppose release of the Match results in mid-March is some sort of hallowed tradition, and we, the residency applicants, must not dare to question it.
 
I also agree. The waiting period for Match results is ridiculous. I suppose release of the Match results in mid-March is some sort of hallowed tradition, and we, the residency applicants, must not dare to question it.

It's kind of funny how the anxiety brings us to ask all kinds of questions. I actually thought about this myself. And in my search (I was exploring the NRMP website cause I had nothing else to do to make the time go faster!), I found an answer. It's on their FAQs.

Why does it take three weeks from rank order list deadline to Match Day?

During that time, NRMP takes a number of major steps to assure the accuracy of both the Match and the subsequent release of Match information. Those steps include:
  • Checking the integrity and completeness of the data.
  • Transferring the data to the algorithm module, checking it again, and running the Match.
  • Verifying the results of the Match and transferring the data into the NRMP databases.
  • Creating more than 60,000 individual reports for applicants, programs, and schools, and assuring confidentiality of the information. The reports are then posted to the Web in accordance with the Match Results schedule.
  • In addition, time is allotted for unmatched applicants and unfilled programs to make decisions before Match Day.
 
Why does it take until thursday to find out where you matched if the spot is filled on monday of match week? Why can't they just tell us on monday?

Because Baby Jeebus hates you. Now STFU and just deal. Or scramble as the case may be. I'm cool either way.

(Yes, this post is rude and unnecessary...but it made me feel good. And if I have to spend my day babysitting a bunch of vascular surgery campers - "but he has diabetes, and hypertension, you can't expect us to manage that" - I'm going to have some fun too.)
 
I was under the impression that once you matched into a program, you have to do at least 1 year at that program. Is this correct? Is there a legal way to get out of a matched program?

In light of aPD's response, I still wouldn't be surprised if some applicants underestimate how binding the NRMP is and try to scramble elsewhere anyway, thinking they can get out of their initial commitment by fabricating a hardship or simply by pouting enough.

Maybe they'd figure the worst thing that could happen is the NRMP denies their waiver and labels them as a match violator for a year or two, while they just do residency where they matched in the first place.

I'd like to think we're all honorable folks but I'm sure you could see how a few unscrupulous individuals could undermine the system. Once these individuals are denied their waiver by the NRMP, it would undo much of the effort put in by programs during the scramble and leave them with an even more undesirable pool from which to fill their positions.
 
I also agree. The waiting period for Match results is ridiculous. I suppose release of the Match results in mid-March is some sort of hallowed tradition, and we, the residency applicants, must not dare to question it.

I doubt that's the case; it would make sense for all parties involved to have the results sooner. With today's processing speeds, I'm sure the match could actually be completed in a matter of minutes to hours. As a former computer programmer, I would say that the algorithm is fairly simple and straightforward. The number of steps involved is minute compared to your everyday video game. Whereas there are thousands of applicants, a typical video game these days is constantly shifting millions to billions of polygons in a matter of fractions of a second.

I suspect the bottleneck is the human aspect. It sounds like the results go through multiple rounds of MANUAL inspection. And in that regard, the sheer number of applicants is a huge factor.
 
I suspect the bottleneck is the human aspect. It sounds like the results go through multiple rounds of MANUAL inspection. And in that regard, the sheer number of applicants is a huge factor.

I agree, the only possible explanation for such a long waiting period is that humans are doing a lot of hte work. Thats incredibly stupid IMHO, a computer is much better able to do this than humans can. That includes error checking too. I simply refuse to believe that its necessary for humans to cycle thru 20,000+ ROLs for error checking.
 
i always guessed the delay b/w submitting ROLs and Match Day was a throwback to the pre-computer days. 25 years ago it probably did take 3 weeks to get the results properly done. but in 2008? like many things in medicine, maybe they're just leaving like it always has been for posterity's sake.
 
Because Baby Jeebus hates you. Now STFU and just deal. Or scramble as the case may be. I'm cool either way.

(Yes, this post is rude and unnecessary...but it made me feel good. And if I have to spend my day babysitting a bunch of vascular surgery campers - "but he has diabetes, and hypertension, you can't expect us to manage that" - I'm going to have some fun too.)


:eek:
 
  • Checking the integrity and completeness of the data.

This could theoretically take some time. But what does it mean? If your ROL is empty, and they notice it, do you get a second chance? Do I? I doubt it. How could the data not be complete? They've been doing this for years.

  • Transferring the data to the algorithm module, checking it again, and running the Match.

As noted above, this should take minutes. "Transferring the data" presumably refers dumping it from one enterprise database to another. That takes seconds, especially when you control the data structure of the two databases.

  • Verifying the results of the Match and transferring the data into the NRMP databases.

Again, transferring data takes minutes. Verifying the match can take some time. As others have mentioned, there was a disaster with the Urology match a few years ago, perhaps they run the match a few different ways to make sure that it's right.

  • Creating more than 60,000 individual reports for applicants, programs, and schools, and assuring confidentiality of the information. The reports are then posted to the Web in accordance with the Match Results schedule.

This does take some time. All those reports need to get printed, put into envelopes, sorted correctly, and delivered. You want to leave enough time so that if an envelope goes to the wrong place, it can be resent.

  • In addition, time is allotted for unmatched applicants and unfilled programs to make decisions before Match Day.

This takes exactly 2-3 days.

It seems like the timeline could be compressed.
 
Maybe the NRMP is running their database on a Tandy 1000.

It could theoretically take 3 weeks!:D

As an aside, the human factor is an interesting one because there have been reports of administrative personnel "forgetting" to submit the ROL in time, or putting in the wrong program code, etc. Seems like the NRMP doesn't check for these things since Urban Legend has it that when these things happened the programs went unfilled.
 
the wait is agonizing.
I've changed and recertified my list like 20 times in the past two weeks. I wish the deadline would just come already.
Thankfully, me and a bunch of friends are going to Cancun the week before match, otherwise I'd be puking with anxiety that whole week and especially the weekend before.
 
tell me about it!.....i'm actually gonna be in florida on match weekend....vacationing with my pals.....they sure picked a crappy time for a vacation!.....i hope i'm not too overconfident in not having a worse case scenario plan (if i need to scamble!!!).....but then again, i've always been the oblivious type.....yes, i know.....irresponsible.....let's just hope i'll not be scrambling and instead partying at disney world!!!!

:oops:
 
Yeah, but see, even if the timeline was moved up people would still get stressed about it. Just because you "submit" your ROL on a certain date doesn't mean you have just come to the final decision on rankings. I finished my last interview in january of my 4th year and then had to wait another 2 months to find out where I was going to be. The whole thing could be compressed more, the 3-4 weeks between ROL and match day is but one area.

Of course, I also think 4th year should be 6 months long and residency should start January 1 instead, that last 6 months may be nice from a relaxation standpoint but it's a waste of money and resources in reality.
 
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