POST-LAUNCH PROCEDURES: Graduate Medical Education
Graduation from the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences and with an M.D. degree does not guarantee placement in a graduate medical education program (GME) or eventual licensure. Obtaining a GME position, commonly known as internship or residency, is dependent upon many factors. GME programs evaluate candidates on areas that include but are not limited to curricular performance, licensing examination attempts and scores, interpersonal skills, and demonstration of leadership. Candidates participate in a competitive process known as “The Match” to secure a GME position. This primarily occurs through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) for positions offered by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) but may also include other “matches” for specific specialties or military GME positions. Students are required to be familiar and comply with all policies and requirements of the Match in which they are participating. A “Match” offer is a legal contractual obligation between the student and the program. Failure to abide by a “Match” obligation is a “Match” violation.
Some matching programs, namely the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), require the school to certify that students will be able to begin their residency program on July 1 in the year of their graduation. To be certified, students must pass the USMLE Step 1 exam and be on a trajectory to meet all other graduation requirements prior to the NRMP certification deadline. Students who are certified and subsequently obtain placement, but who are then unable to start their program on July 1, will be required to contact the NRMP for a match waiver. Failure to request a match waiver could result in a match violation as outlined in the NRMP’s match participation agreement.