Understand residency match slang with this glossary

For medical students looking toward Match Week, the to-do list seems to come fast and furious, with deadlines and shifting needs at each step. Even the language used to describe the residency match process can feel daunting. The AMA is here to help you demystify the match terminology you may encounter and help you prepare for Match Week.

• COMLEX-USA

• Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination, which osteopathic medical students are required to take (COMLEX Level 1 and 2 exams) and plays a role in applications.
  • What is COMLEX-USA?
     

• LOR

• Letters of recommendation, which are crucial for residency applications.
  • Find the best people to write residency letters of recommendation
     

• Match madness

• Describes the stressful, sometimes chaotic nature of Match Week.
  • Maintaining wellness during the long wait
     

• NRMP

• National Resident Matching Program, which runs the main residency match and SOAP.
  • Applying to physician residency programs
     

• PGY-1

• Post-graduate year 1, the first year of residency, often discussed when students refer to programs they have matched with.
  • How to make the M4 to PGY-1 jump a smoother one
     

• Post-match depression

• Describes the anxiety and disappointment some students feel if they don’t match.
  • Match Week FAQ: How to move forward when you don’t match
     

• Red flags

• Slang for anything in an application that may raise concerns for residency programs​.
  • Application dos and don’ts from doctor who oversees the match
     

• Residency fam

• Refers to classmates and peers who are going through the match process together. See also: “Match squad.”
  • What I wish I knew in medical school about peer relationships
     

• ROL

• Rank-order list, the list of residency programs ranked by the applicant.
  • What I wish I knew in medical school about match rank-order lists
     

• Scramble

• Informal term used for the frantic nature of applying to programs during SOAP.​
  • What to know about SOAP's last-minute match options
     

• SOAP

• Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program, where unmatched students apply for unfilled residency spots.
  • Match Day 2024 results: NRMP match rates by specialty, SOAP match statistics, plus Match Day 2025
     

• SOAP call

• A call or email students receive during SOAP if a program is interested in interviewing them.
  • Prepare to navigate SOAP with Victoria Gordon, DO
     

• SOAP week blues

• Stress associated with participating in SOAP for unmatched students.​
  • If you’re feeling disappointed on Match Day, you are not alone
     

• SOAP-er

• A student who participates in SOAP after not matching.
  • If you don’t match, take these 5 tips from a SOAP survivor
     

• USMLE

• United States Medical Licensing Examination, which plays a big part in applications. "Step 1" and "Step 2" refer to key parts of this exam.
  • What is the USMLE?