"The match" can mean any of the sessions that are a part of the current system by which students obtain a residency in their chosen specialty, including the military match, the urology match, and the San Francisco match (which includes ophthalmology and plastic surgery), but usually refers to the Match, the largest residency match for medical students trained both in the US and internationally. Today's match was developed at the request of medical students seeking an improved system of placement into residency. It's run by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), a private, non-profit organization established in 1952. The NRMP uses a computer algorithm to align the preferences of both residency program directors and applicants for placing into residency. Under this system, all participants follow the same rules, adhere to the same deadlines, and both applicants and program directors can consider all their options before making any decisions.
The 2020 match is the first match system administered under single GME. This single system, run by NRMP, will simplify the process for osteopathic medical school students, who previously had the option of participating in AOA's National Matching Service (NMS), in addition to the match conducted by NRMP.