Some history of the National Resident Matching Program

 Here's a short history of the resident match, including the recent merger of MD and DO student applicants, and some thoughts about current issues.

Acad Med. 2021 Aug; 96(8): 1116–1119.

The Single Match: Reflections on the National Resident Matching Program’s Sustained Partnership With Learners  by Zaid I. Almarzooq, MBBCh, Heather A Lillemoe, MD, Ebony White-Manigault, MPH, Thomas Wickham, DO, MPH, and Laurie S. Curtin, PhD

Here's the concluding paragraph:

"The NRMP has come a long way, but we recognize that the residency selection process still is fraught with stress and uncertainty, albeit for reasons different from those that prompted creation of the Match. Application inflation, debt, and a disproportionate reliance on licensure exam scores have contributed to a climate that makes the transition to residency perhaps as stressful as when the Match was created nearly 70 years ago. 18,19 However, as the NRMP moves beyond achievement of the Single Match milestone and we reflect on the organization’s history of responding to the needs of its constituents, we believe the NRMP will continue to evolve and identify innovative and meaningful ways to address learner needs. We hope learners of all kinds value that commitment and stand ready to support the NRMP’s efforts to continually improve the transition to residency."