Just as Match Week is about to kick off, here’s an awesome article that talks a little about the history of the match and discusses the match algorithm, an NRMP lawsuit, and implications that the match contributes to poor resident working conditions. It’s a somewhat long read, but definitely worth it.

Every March, hundreds of graduating medical students put themselves at the mercy of a mathematical algorithm that pairs them with the teaching hospital they’ll go to for their residency training.

Participating students and hospitals submit rank-ordered lists of their preferences; on Match Day, a computer comes up with a matching of students to programs that all participants must accept.

The system is based on an elegant mathematical theory dating from the 1960s, yet medical students, unversed in game theory, have trouble believing that it’s fair.

It’s not surprising, then, that three disgruntled physicians, fed up with the low wages and long hours that characterize medical residencies, are blaming the algorithm for their woes.

Are Medical Students Meeting Their (Best Possible) Match? [PDF]

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