Build a rank list that reflects your priorities.
A practical way to turn interviews and scattered impressions into an order you trust.
RMR editorial · Sources checked
Start with where you want to train.
The NRMP advises applicants to rank programs in their true preference order. Trying to predict whether a program will rank you highly is not a reason to place a less-preferred program above one you would rather attend.
Include only programs where you are willing and eligible to train. A Match commitment is binding. Check the program track and code in the official R3 system before certifying.
Separate the facts from your impressions.
Keep current, program-published information about training sites, schedules, benefits, and requirements alongside your own interview observations. An unanswered question is a reason to ask the program—not a reason to invent a score.
A useful private note answers three questions: What would I learn here? What would an ordinary week feel like? Who and what would support me outside work?
Save versions, then make the final choice.
Try arranging your top choices in a few different orders. Save a named version when your thinking changes. Comparing versions can reveal which tradeoffs keep coming back.
Your RMR rank list is a planning draft. Enter the final list in NRMP R3, verify all tracks and codes, certify before the official deadline, and check the certification status again after any edit. Couples and supplemental lists require the official workflows; RMR does not implement or submit those lists.