Common use of Specialties Matching Service Clause in Contracts

Specialties Matching Service. The system is intended to provide applicants the opportunity to make informed decisions about the medical specialty or specific training program they seek to enter and to provide training programs the opportunity to make informed assessments about applicants in an orderly manner and without pressure. The Match processes the certified rank order lists using a mathematical algorithm to match the preferences of applicants to the preferences of programs. If a match does not occur, applicants in the Main Residency Match may seek to obtain positions during the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program® (SOAP®). Only programs from institutions that have registered with the NRMP and agreed to abide by the terms of this Agreement may participate in the Matching Program. Such programs also must register individually with the NRMP and agree to abide by the terms of the Match Participation Agreement Among Applicants, the NRMP, and Participating Programs or the Specialties Matching Service Match Participation Agreement Among Applicants, the NRMP, and Participating Programs. The Specialties Matching Service (‘SMS®’) is provided by the NRMP to program directors’ groups (i.e., associations of training program directors) whose programs offer entry level positions only to applicants who have completed two or more years of graduate medical education. To qualify for participation in the SMS, the program directors' group representing the programs in a particular specialty must designate a specialty representative to be responsible for overseeing the SMS matching process and to be the group's official representative to the NRMP on all matters regarding the group's programs that register to participate in the SMS. Each group participating in the SMS is expected to identify eligible programs and to assist the NRMP in communicating with such programs. The NRMP requires the program directors' group of each specialty participating in the SMS to execute annually an "NRMP Program Directors’ Annual Participation Agreement" that commits active participation of at least 75 percent of the group's eligible programs and a minimum of 75 percent of all available positions in the specialty for that year. If a group fails to register 75 percent of its eligible programs and/or positions, the NRMP, at its discretion, may discontinue such group's participation in Matches managed by the NRMP. Specialties Matching Service Match sponsors may voluntarily elect to implement a policy whereby all participating programs are required to register and attempt to fill all positions in the Match. The NRMP shall monitor the compliance of programs in those specialties in registering and attempting to fill all of their positions through the Match provided the Match sponsor provides the NRMP with information about the number of positions with fellows in training for that appointment year. Positions may be offered through the SMS to physician graduates of medical schools in the United States and elsewhere who meet the eligibility requirements set forth by the NRMP. Only applicants and programs that have registered with the NRMP and agreed to abide by the terms of the Specialties Matching Service Match Participation Agreement may participate in the SMS. All Matches are managed through the NRMP’s Registration Ranking and Results (R3) system. Match Week is the period of time when applicants and programs learn the results of the Main Residency Match, beginning at 11:00 a.m. eastern time on Monday and ending at 1:00 p.m. eastern time on Friday. A match between an applicant and a program or a position offered and accepted during SOAP constitutes a binding commitment between the two parties in accordance with the terms of the relevant Match Participation Agreement. Any breach of that commitment may result in penalties to the breaching applicant or program, as described in Section 10.0. Any breach by a sponsoring institution of any of its obligations under this Agreement may be investigated by the NRMP pursuant to its Policies and Procedures for Reporting, Investigation, and Disposition of Violations of NRMP Agreements and may result in penalties to the institution as described in Section 10.0. The NRMP seeks to maintain the highest professional standards in the conduct of the Matching Program and in its interactions with all participants: applicants, program directors, institutional officials, and student affairs deans. All parties to this Agreement acknowledge that (a) the NRMP is not an employment service for either applicants seeking advance residency or fellowship positions or programs offering training positions and does not provide application services to applicants or programs; (b) applicants must apply directly to the programs with which they desire to match in addition to registering with the NRMP Matching Program and listing such programs on their certified rank order lists; and (c) the NRMP is not involved in establishing the terms of any residency or fellowship position or the terms of any contract between a resident or fellow and a training program.