Residency application glossary

The terms you meet when applying to US residency, explained in one or two plain sentences each.

A

AAMC
The Association of American Medical Colleges. It runs ERAS and publishes ERAS statistics, including the program signal reports.
ACGME
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, which accredits US residency programs. Every program in our directory has an ACGME code.
Advanced position
A residency position that starts in the second year (PGY-2), for example in some anesthesiology, neurology, radiology or dermatology programs. You also need a first-year preliminary or transitional position.
Affinity Score
A ResidencyPrograms.io score from 0 to 100 that shows how well a program matches your personal profile, based on the program's current residents. Programs scoring 70 to 100 are strong fits. Plans
Applicants per position
How many applications a program received for each first-year position it offers. A high number means a crowded program, not necessarily a selective one.

C

Categorical position
A position that covers the full length of training in a specialty, from PGY-1 to completion.
Certify (rank order list)
The final step that makes your rank order list count. An uncertified list is not used, and a list you edit after certifying must be certified again.
Conrad 30 waiver
A program that lets J-1 physicians skip the two-year home-country requirement by working in an underserved US area after training.
Couples Match
An NRMP option that lets two applicants link their rank order lists so they match to programs as a pair.

D

DO
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, a US medical degree. DO graduates apply through ERAS and the NRMP like MD graduates.

E

ECFMG
The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. It certifies IMGs for US graduate medical education and sponsors J-1 visas for physicians in training.
ECFMG certification
The credential IMGs need to enter US residency. IMGs must meet ECFMG verification requirements by the rank order list deadline to stay in the Match.
ERAS
The Electronic Residency Application Service, run by the AAMC. You send your application, letters and scores to programs through it. ERAS fees calculator
ERAS fees
For the 2027 season, $11 per program for the first 30 programs in a specialty and $30 for each program after that, counted per specialty. Calculate your fees

G

Geographic preferences
An optional MyERAS section where you list the US divisions you want to train in, or say you have no preference. Programs can see your answer. Guide
Gold and silver signals
In a few specialties, applicants get a small number of gold signals and a larger number of silver ones. Gold goes with higher interview rates. Guide
Graduation-year limit (YOG)
The longest gap a program accepts between your medical school graduation and the start of residency. Screening software often applies it strictly.

H

H-1B visa
A temporary worker visa. The hospital files the petition as your employer, and most programs require a passed Step 3 first. It has no home-country requirement after training. Visa sponsorship by specialty

I

IMG
International medical graduate: anyone who went to medical school outside the US and Canada. US IMGs are US citizens or permanent residents; non-US IMGs usually need a visa. Best states for IMGs
Interview rate
The share of applicants a program invites to interview. Compare it with the median for the specialty, not across specialties.

J

J-1 visa
The exchange visitor visa most IMG residents train on. ECFMG sponsors it, and it carries a two-year home-country requirement after training unless waived. Visa sponsorship by specialty

L

Letter of intent
A message telling one program it is your first choice. Send it to one program at most, and only if it is true.
LOR
Letter of recommendation. Most programs ask for three; some specialties want a specialty-specific letter.

M

Match Day
The day you learn where you matched. For 2027 it is Friday, March 19, at 12 p.m. Eastern Time. Match calendar
Match Week
The week of Match Day. On Monday you learn whether you matched, SOAP runs from Monday to Thursday, and Friday is Match Day. Match calendar
MSPE
Medical Student Performance Evaluation, sometimes called the dean's letter: a summary of your medical school performance sent with your application.
MyERAS
The applicant side of ERAS, where you build your application, choose programs, assign letters and send signals.

N

NRMP
The National Resident Matching Program, which runs the Main Residency Match and SOAP. Registration is separate from ERAS. Match calendar

P

PGY
Postgraduate year. PGY-1 is the first year of residency (the intern year), PGY-2 the second, and so on.
Preliminary position
A one-year position, usually in internal medicine or surgery, that provides the first year for an advanced position or a year of training while you reapply.
Program coordinator
The staff member who runs a program's applications and interview days. The best first contact for practical questions.
Program director
The physician who leads a residency program and makes the final ranking decisions.
Program signal
A limited number of tokens in ERAS that show a program you are especially interested in. The number depends on the specialty. Signal limits by specialty

R

R3
The NRMP system where you register, enter your rank order list and receive SOAP offers.
Rank order list
Your list of programs in order of preference. You match at the highest program on your list that also ranked you highly enough to take you. Deadlines
ResidencyCAS
The application service that emergency medicine and obstetrics and gynecology use instead of ERAS. Both still match through the NRMP.

S

SOAP
The Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program: during Match Week, unfilled positions are offered to eligible unmatched applicants in four timed rounds. Accepted offers are binding. SOAP dates
Step 1
The first USMLE exam. It has been reported as pass or fail since January 2022, but you still have to pass it.
Step 2 CK
The USMLE clinical knowledge exam, now the main score programs screen on. The pass mark has been 218 since July 1, 2025.
Step 3
The final USMLE exam. Many programs need a passed Step 3 before they can rank an applicant for an H-1B position.

T

Transitional year
A one-year program that rotates through several specialties, often used as the first year before an advanced position.

U

USCE
US clinical experience: hands-on clinical work in the US, such as externships or sub-internships. Some programs require a minimum number of months.

V

Visa sponsorship case by case
Program wording that usually means the J-1 is the reliable route and other visas are possible only for some applicants. Treat it as not guaranteed and ask the coordinator.

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