The National Resident Matching Program NRMP Main Match provides an impartial venue for matching applicants' preferences for residency positions with program directors' preferences for applicants. Each year approximately 16,000 U.S. allopathic medical school seniors and 15,000 graduates of osteopathic, Canadian or foreign medical schools compete for approximately 23,000 residency positions.

There are four categories of programs participating in the Match:

• Categorical - programs that begin in the PGY-1 year and provide the training required for board certification in medical specialties.
• Advanced - programs that begin in the PGY-2 year after a year of prerequisite training.
• Preliminary - one-year programs beginning in the PGY-1 year that provide prerequisite training for advanced programs.
• Physician - programs that are reserved for physicians who have had prior graduate medical education. Physician programs are not available to senior U.S. medical students.

The NRMP is not an application service or a job placement service. Applicants must apply directly to residency programs in addition to registering for the Match. Most programs participate in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS®), which transmits residency applications to program directors via the Internet. Applicants must register with both NRMP and ERAS® to participate in the services of each.