Eligibility Criteria for Participating in the Post - Match Scramble process

This post is especially relevant to candidates who do not participate in a given Match since there scores, documents, etc. were not ready at the time of applying (i.e. previous September) but are ready to apply by the time of the Scramble (i.e current or upcoming March ). These candidates are in an understandable fix as to whether they give scramble a shot instead of having to wait for an entire year for the next match.


Speaking ethically, the scramble process is meant for that pool of candidates who applied, interviewed and tried to match - the 'new pool' of candidates who did not use their resources to participate in the match should therefore morally be out of the scramble too.

But here's how these guys can still participate:

1. You must be registered with the NRMP match prior to the scramble, to have access to the unfilled positions.

Note:

- You don't need to have had any interview calls to register for the NRMP match.

- Registration is enough for eligibility, even if you did not submit any Rank Order List for the Match (i.e. did not participate in the Match)

- If you did not register for the NRMP Match, it is obvious that you can still access the list of unfilled programs is through a 'helpful' unmatched friend who is registered for the match, but then that is considered a violation of NRMP terms. Some people opine that NRMP may have a way of letting the program directors know that a particular candidate was not a match registrant...so better to avoid that risk. Read a sample violation case that NRMP discusses on the site here - scroll down the last case)

- You can register for the NRMP match here.


2. Make sure you are ECFMG Certified Before the Scramble dates and that you have passed USMLE Step 3 by then, if you wish the H1b visa. Though not being ECFMG certified does not make you technically ineligible, it does make you functionally ineligible, since all program directors will want to see that Certification before signing you up.

3. Though not an eligibility criteria - prospective scramble applicants should have applied to at least one program, a month before the mid-March scramble. The reason ? So that your documents are already scanned and loaded, making it possible to transmit them instantly to the programs when youapply using MyERAS during the scramble. If they are not pre-scanned, when you apply to the programs, since ERAS will have to first scan and upload them, programs will receive them mostly AFTER the scramble ..LOL.. making the application utterly useless.

Here is a list of additional prep pointers that ECFMG gives:

"
- If you are sending us new or replacement LoRs, we must have them at least two weeks prior to the Scramble. If you have a new or additional LoR, assign it immediately to one of your original programs. This gives us time to attach it before the Scramble.
- If you are sending us a replacement LoR from the same writer, attach a note to it that reads, "This replaces the previous LoR." Otherwise, we might mistake it for the LoR we have already scanned and discard it without scanning.
- You must also make sure that all of your documents have been received and assigned, so that we can attach and transmit them before the Scramble.
- If you are planning to apply during the post-Match Scramble only, you must still apply to at least one program about one week before the Scramble.
- You cannot make changes to your CAF, however you can update your Profile at any time.
"


So, summarizing, all that candidates need to do to be eligible for the scramble is to :

1. Make an account on MyERAS, complete the CAF, submit it and apply to at least one Program. Instead of saying ONE program, I would rather say apply to at least ONE PROGRAM IN EACH SPECIALTY you are interested in - that way ALL YOUR LORs will be ready and scanned by the time of the scramble

2. Register for the NRMP Match Here Before December





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