The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) conducted a survey of program directors of all programs participating in the first quarter of 2012. The survey fielded during the 19 days between the rank order list deadline and Match Week revealed some of the factors program directors used in ranking applicants for interviews.
The importance of factors was found to be as follows from top to bottom in sequence of importance and ratings.
- Applicant was flagged with Match violation by the NRMP
- Interactions with faculty during interview and visit
- Interpersonal skills
- Interactions with housestaff during interview and visit
- Feedback from current residents
- Evidence of professionalism and ethics
- Grades in clerkship in desired specialty
- Perceived commitment to specialty
- Letters of recommendation in the specialty
- Graduate of U.S. allopathic medical school
- USMLE/COMLEX Step 1 score
- Leadership qualities
- Honors in clerkship in desired specialty
- Gaps in medical education
- Grades in required clerkships
- USMLE/COMLEX Step 2 score
- Honors in clinical clerkships
- Class ranking/quartile
- Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE/Dean’s Letter)
- Personal prior knowledge of the applicant
- Consistency of grades
- Perceived interest in program
- Visa status**
- Audition elective/rotation within your department
- Graduate of highly regarded U.S. medical school
- Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) membership
- Fluency in language spoken by your patient population
- Personal Statement
- Other life experience
- Demonstrated involvement and interest in research
- Honors in basic sciences
- Volunteer/extracurricular experiences
- USMLE/COMLEX Step 3 score**
- Other post-interview contact
- Interest in academic career
- Gold Society membership
- Second interview/visit
- Away rotation in your specialty at another institution
** International Medical Graduates only
