Preparing for Residency

When is Match Day 2026?

UPDATED | 2 Min Read

Match Day marks the culmination of a student’s journey through medical school. On Match Day, medical students learn where they will go for their residency after graduation. This information is released on Match Day by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

Match Day for residency is on the third Friday of March each year. Many medical schools commemorate this with a live event where students receive their residency assignments.

The 2025 Match Day process offered residency positions to 43,237 medical students, a new record, which was up 4.2% from 2024.

The American Medical Association provides valuable tips and resources to help medical students matching residency and beyond. Learn more here.

Get residency-ready with AMA benefits

  • Find your perfect match using full features of FREIDA™, the AMA Residency & Fellowship Database®
  • Distinguish yourself with AMA leadership opportunities
  • Fourth-year medical students who join now pay half price!

Supporting you today as a medical student. Protecting your future as a physician.

  1. Match Day news

    1. Get the latest news, video and podcasts for medical students transitioning to residency as Match Day approaches.
  2. Match slang glossary

    1. Match got you mixed up? Learn these terms to make sense of the alphabet soup.
  3. What to know about SOAP

    1. Learn more about the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) for eligible unmatched applicants looking for residency positions.
  4. So you matched. Now what?

    1. Take the time to regather and consider these steps to make sure your time post-Match is productive.
  5. Road to Residency Guide

    1. Get information on every step of the Match process.

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