Sep 2026

Fourth-year medical students are eagerly evaluating their residency options and looking to formulate their residency rank lists. The National Advisory Alumni Board offers three (3) tips to assist with residency ranking. 

1. Submit your rank list early. “The internet and computers are fool-proof,” said no one ever: systems crash and computers glitch. To avoid running into technical issues, don’t wait until the last minute to submit your rank list. Rank lists are due March 3rd by 9:00 p.m. EST. 

2. Prioritize. With all interviews being virtual this year, it can be hard to decide how to rank programs. The advice to rank based on “feel” can be much harder to do when you haven’t visited a program in person. This is where prioritizing your ‘must-haves’ in a residency program come in. Priorities vary from person-to-person. Things to consider include:

• Location.
• Interview day experience.
• Clinical and non-clinical opportunities.
• Patient population you will serve.
• Mentorship opportunities. 

3. Be confident. The match process can be stressful indeed; however, you have been preparing for residency for four (4) years obtaining your medical education. Remember, you are an intelligent student with much to offer, and any residency program would be lucky to train you! It can be tempting to over-analyze your rank list and make changes. But don’t; stick with your original list, avoid second-guessing, and limit changes. Please take comfort in the fact that most first-time residency applicants match into one of their top three choice programs.

We wish all the applicants applying to medical residencies luck and look forward to Match Day!