The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Specialties Matching Service® (SMS®). The SMS encompasses multiple Fellowship Matches representing more than 60 subspecialties. Each Fellowship Match maintains its own schedule of dates.
A Match allows applicants and program directors to consider each other without pressure, creates an impartial venue for matching applicants’ and program directors’ preferences, and establishes a uniform date for appointments to programs. A Match also fosters fairness in the selection process by ensuring all participants comply with the policies governing the Match and produces convenient applicant, program, and specialty-specific data.
Through SMS Fellowship Matches, applicants are “matched” to programs using the rank order lists of applicants and program directors that are processed by the NRMP matching algorithm. SMS Matches are managed through the NRMP’s Registration, Ranking, and Results® (R3®) system, the same software that is used for all NRMP Matches. Below is a great video that explains how the MATCH works.
