- What is the Residency Explorer Tool?
- Key Features of the Residency Explorer Tool
- Training and Guidance
- Sponsoring Organizations
What is the Residency Explorer Tool?
The tool helps you compare programs, understand differences between them, and identify those that best align with your goals and needs. It also offers data to help you assess your competitiveness to individual programs.
Nine national organizations involved in the transition to residency support the Residency Explorer tool to provide you with the most accurate information. All data presented in the tool is original and source-verified—never self-reported—making it more reliable than many other resources.
The Residency Explorer tool delivers insights and information based on:
- Residency applicant data and interview data from the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges).
- Residency program directory information from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
- Program positions offered and filled data from the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®).
- United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) data from the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) USMLE Program.
- Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA) data from the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME).
- Program characteristics jointly administered by the AAMC and American Medical Association (AMA).
Key Features of the Residency Explorer Tool
Interview Invitation Data: View program-level interview invitation rates based on:
- Applicant type (e.g., MD, DO, US IMG, and Non-US IMG)
- Program signaling
- Medical school - program state alignment
- Hometown - program state alignment
- Geographic preference
- USMLE Step 1 or COMLEX-USA Level 1 Ever Failed
- USMLE Step 2 CK or COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE Ever Failed
Licensing Exam Score Ranges: Explore USMLE Step 2 CK and COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE score ranges among applicants who were invited to interview at the 10th and 90th percentile for that program in the prior cycle.
Applicant and Interview Invitee Composition: Understand the composition of both the overall applicant pool and those who received interview invitations for each program.
Personalized Profile: Build a profile based on your career goals and personal needs to help identify programs that align with your priorities.
Program Comparison Tool: Select and compare programs side-by-side based on characteristics that matter to you.
Customizable Filters: Use filters to refine your search based on key program features such as location, visas accepted or sponsored, types of positions offered and more—helping you focus on programs that best meet your needs.
Training and Guidance
These two short videos will help you find, interpret, and use alignment and competitiveness data:
- Interpreting Competitiveness Data: Competitiveness data provides insights into how likely an applicant is to be invited for an interview. It presents interview invitation rates and applicant pool data for various application characteristics, such as signaling, geographic alignment, exam pass/fail status, and applicant type, which research has shown to play a role in programs’ selection processes.
- Integrating Alignment and Competitiveness Data to Inform Application Strategy: This video demonstrates how to use alignment and competitiveness data in the Residency Explorer™ tool to make informed application decisions. Learn to balance these data to develop a portfolio that optimally supports your professional and personal needs.
Sponsoring Organizations
