Residency Application and Matching Platforms
The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)
ERAS is the central application system used for all U.S. specialties in which students complete their applications, upload/assign supporting documents, and submit their materials to selected programs.
ERAS Timeline:
- Application opens early-June
- Applications are due mid-September
The National Residency Matching Program (NRMP)
The National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) is the platform used for matching in all specialties except ophthalmology (PGY-2), urology, and the Military and Canadian Matches. NRMP’s mission is to provide a fair and efficient process for matching the preferences of applicants for U.S. residency positions with the preferences of residency program directors. This matching process uses a computerized mathematical algorithm that matches applicants to the highest program on their list that has in turn ranked the applicant highly enough to match.
NRMP Timeline:
- Registration opens mid-September
- Registration closes late-January
- Ranking opens early-February
- Ranking closes early-March
- Match results released in mid-March
Early Matches
San Francisco Match (Ophthalmology)
Students applying for ophthalmology residency apply and match through the San Francisco Match (SF Match) for advanced entry positions (PGY 2-4 years). Some ophthalmology programs automatically incorporate an "integrated internship" in the same SF Match, while others require applying to an affiliated "joint internship" through ERAS and matching through NRMP for PGY-1 year. The SF Match is timed to allow applicants to know their placement in ophthalmology - and therefore whether they still need to list a single "joint internship" affiliated with their match - before they are required to finalize their NRMP list. However, because they do not know where they will match in advance of the SF Match results, students should apply to all possible affiliated joint internships and interview according to their SF Match interview invitations.
SF Match Timeline:
- Application opens early-July
- Application due early-September
- Ranking closes mid-January
- Match results released early-February
American Urological Association Match (Urology)
The American Urological Association (AUA) Match is for advanced entry positions in urology as well as an integrated preliminary (PGY-1) year. Students participating in the AUA Match are not required to register with the NRMP to obtain the PGY-1 year of training. Participation in ERAS is on an individual program basis and ERAS provides a list of participating programs.
AUA Match Timeline:
- Registration opens late-June
- Ranking opens late-November
- Registration closes late-December
- Ranking closes mid-January
- Match results released early-February
Military Match
The Joint Service Graduate Medical Education Selection Board (JSGMESB) manages the residency selection process for the Air Force, Army, and Navy. Students apply to some programs through ERAS, but match through the military by completing a different online application system called MODS for their respective branch. Specific information for each year's Military Match process is released in the JGMESB's Letter of Instruction (LOI) in early July.
Military Match Timeline:
- JGMESB posts application instruction (LOI) in early July
- Application due mid-October (late-August for Navy)
- Ranking opens mid-November
- Match results released mid-December
*It is important to stay in contact with your branch of service regarding the application process, as there are differences between the Army, Navy, and Air Force that can only be addressed within that specific branch. Links for additional information and application details specific to each branch are as follows:
Air Force Graduate Medical Education
Army Graduate Medical Education
Navy Graduate Medical Education
Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS)
The Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) is an organization that provides a fair, objective and transparent application and matching service for medical training throughout Canada. Students applying to residency in Canada complete their applications and rank lists through CaRMS.
CaRMS Match Timeline:
- Application opens in early-October
- Application is due in mid-January
- Ranking opens in mid-February and closes in early-March
- Match results are released in mid-March