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Question 2. Can you tell me more about how the "Couples Match" works?
Any two applicants who are participating in the Match at the same time and who wish to coordinate their matches (e.g., attempt to obtain positions in the same location) may participate in the Match as a "couple."
Applicants participating together as a couple submit pairs of choices, which gives the couple greater control over the outcome of the Match. Each program desired by one partner can be paired with one or more of the programs desired by the other partner, and each of these pairings can be ranked separately. In addition, an option is provided for the couple to create and rank pairs of choices in which only one partner may be matched, with the other partner left unmatched. In the Match, the couple will be matched to the highest ranked program pairing available to BOTH parties.
To participate, the couple submits a single Rank Order List consisting of "paired" internship programs. For example, suppose Partner A and Partner B each applied to the following programs:
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PARTNER A
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| Boston A |
| Boston B |
| Philadelphia A |
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PARTNER B
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| Boston C |
| Philadelphia A |
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In this example, Partner A applied to two programs in Boston and one in Philadelphia, while Partner B applied to a different Boston program and to the same Philadelphia program.
This couple's "paired" Rank Order List may look like this:
- Boston A - Boston C
- Boston B - Boston C
- Philadelphia A - Philadelphia A
- Boston A - Philadelphia A
- Boston B - Philadelphia A
- Philadelphia A - Boston C
- Boston A - Unmatched
- Unmatched - Boston C
- Boston B - Unmatched
- Philadelphia A - Unmatched
- Unmatched - Philadelphia A
In this example, the first pairing instructs the computer to attempt to match Partner A to the "Boston A" internship and Partner B to the "Boston C" internship. The first three pairings attempt to locate both partners in the same city. Pairings 4-6 attempt to matched partners in different cities. Pairings 7-11 attempt to match one partner while leaving the other partner unmatched.
Note that these 11 pairings represent all possible pairing combinations for this couple, including those that leave one partner unmatched. A couple may choose to rank some or all of the possible combinations of their programs, and may do so in any order they wish. Unacceptable pairings should be omitted from the Rank Order List; however, keep in mind that eliminating pairings from your List increases the likelihood that one or both partners will remain unmatched.
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6 March 2002
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