Residency Rank List Builder · Free
Your residency rank list, thought through.
Decide what matters to you, score every program right after the interview, and turn those scores into a rank order list you can explain to yourself, your advisor and your family. No account, no upload: it runs in your browser.
For medical students and residents applying to residency or fellowship. Works for any match; the built-in deadline is for the 2027 Main Residency Match.
Why a rank list is hard to get right
Interview season runs for months. By the time ranking opens, early interviews blur together and the loudest memory is the last one. Then you certify one list, and the Match uses nothing but that list.
The NRMP describes how the algorithm starts with the program most preferred on each applicant's rank order list and works down from there (NRMP: how the matching algorithm works). The American College of Physicians puts the advice simply: "You should rank programs in the specific order of your true preference" (ACP, Creating Your Residency Rank List). The hard part is knowing what your true preference is. That is what this tool is for.
How the rank list builder works
1. Weight what matters
Use suggested criteria or write your own, and weight each from 0 to 10 before you see any results.
2. Score each interview
Rate each program from 1 to 5 per criterion, ideally the same evening. You get a weighted score from 0 to 100.
3. Order your list
Start from the scores, then move programs until the list matches your true preference.
4. Check your thinking
See where your gut and your scores disagree, and whether your #1 depends on one weight.
How to rank residency programs with it, step by step
- Before interviews start, open the tool and set your criteria and weights.
- After each interview, add the program and score it while it is fresh. Note what you will forget, like the call schedule or what residents said when faculty left the room.
- When interviews wind down, press Order by score. Then move programs until it feels right. If a program sits three or more places from its score rank, the tool asks you to check it is on purpose.
- Draw your line. The ACP advises: "Do not list programs that you absolutely do not want to consider." The AAFP suggests deciding whether being unmatched is better than matching somewhere you don't want to be. Tick Rather go unmatched for those: they stay below the line and are not ranked in what you copy, print or export.
- Check stability. If a small change to one weight would change your #1, talk that weight through with an advisor or the people who will move with you.
- Enter and certify your list in the NRMP system yourself before the deadline (see the NRMP 2027 Main Residency Match calendar). The tool never submits anything.
Who it is for
- Fourth-year medical students (MD and DO) applying in the 2027 Main Residency Match, including international medical graduates.
- Residents applying to fellowship through a fellowship match, or anyone choosing between several training offers.
- Advisors and student affairs deans who want students to arrive at rank list meetings with their reasoning written down.
It is a free alternative to building a residency rank list template in a spreadsheet: the weighting, sorting and checks are done for you, and it works on a phone between interviews.
Pricing
The free tool is complete and live now.
Free
- Up to 150 programs and 15 criteria
- Weighted scores, gut-vs-score check, stability check
- "Rather go unmatched" line
- Copy, print, CSV export and JSON backup
Pro
one payment, no subscription; covers one application cycle through Match Day and SOAP
- Account with your list synced between phone and laptop
- Share a read-only copy of your list with one advisor
- Side-by-side comparison of any two programs
- One-page PDF summary to bring to your advisor
- Couples view: two lists and your paired preferences in one place
Team
for a student affairs or advising office, up to 150 students; annual invoicing available
- Everything in Pro for each student
- Advisors see every shared list in one place
- Your school's own suggested criteria
- Advisor notes per student meeting
Pro and Team are in early access. Reserving a spot is free and nobody is charged until their plan is activated. The prices shown are the planned launch prices, and we will email you from admin@med-rise.com before anything is billed.
Residency rank list FAQ
How does the rank list builder calculate a score?
Each criterion has a weight from 0 to 10 and each program gets a score from 1 to 5 on it. The tool takes the weighted average of the criteria you have scored and shows it on a 0 to 100 scale, where 100 means 5 out of 5 on everything that matters to you. Criteria you have not scored yet, or that have a weight of 0, are left out, and a program scored on fewer than half of your weighted criteria is not used when ordering by score until you score more.
Should my rank list simply follow the scores?
No. The scores are a starting point. The American College of Physicians advises ranking programs in the specific order of your true preference. Use the scores to notice when your gut and your stated priorities disagree, then decide which one is right.
Does ranking a very competitive program first hurt my chances elsewhere?
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, ranking a competitive program first won't negatively influence your chances of matching to programs lower on your list. The algorithm works down your list in the order you give it.
Should I rank a program I do not want to attend?
The American College of Physicians advises not to list programs you absolutely do not want to consider, and the American Academy of Family Physicians suggests deciding whether being unmatched is better than matching somewhere you don't want to be. The tool's "Rather go unmatched" option keeps those programs below the line, unranked, in what you copy, print or export.
When is the 2027 rank order list deadline?
For the 2027 Main Residency Match, ranking opens Monday, February 1, 2027 at 12 p.m. ET and the rank order list certification deadline is Wednesday, March 3, 2027 at 9 p.m. ET, according to the NRMP calendar. Always confirm dates on nrmp.org; fellowship matches run on their own calendars.
Does this tool submit my list to the NRMP?
No. It is not affiliated with the NRMP and never submits anything. You enter and certify your rank order list in the NRMP system yourself.
Where is my data stored?
Only in your browser's local storage on the device you use. Nothing is sent to MedRise. Use Back up to save a file you can restore on another device, and Clear my data to delete everything.
Can I use it for a fellowship match?
Yes. Criteria, programs and notes are all yours to define, so it works for fellowship applications and other matches too. Only the built-in deadline reminder is specific to the 2027 Main Residency Match.
Start your rank list tonight
Free, private and ready in your browser. Load the fictional example first if you want to see the checks in action.
Education and decision support only. The Residency Rank List Builder helps you organize your own judgments about training programs. It does not predict Match outcomes, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NRMP, and does not replace advice from your advisors or your school. It is not for patient information. See the terms and disclaimer and privacy notice.