VIRMP^® Info

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Match

1. What is the VIRMP?
   The Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program is a listing and matching service for veterinary internships and residencies. Applicants and programs each submit a confidential ranked list of preferences, and a neutral process pairs them. It is sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians and has operated for decades.
   
   
2. Why does the match exist?
   Before the match, applicants routinely received offers that expired within days, sometimes before they had finished interviewing elsewhere. Programs competed on deadline pressure rather than fit. The match gives both sides a single shared timeline and removes the incentive to rush a decision.
   
   
3. Who runs the VIRMP?
   The American Association of Veterinary Clinicians sponsors the VIRMP. The AAVC is a not-for-profit organization that has supported academic veterinary medicine since 1958. Its role is to support, educate, and connect — not to regulate or certify.
   
   
4. Is participation required?
   No. The VIRMP is voluntary for both applicants and programs. Programs choose whether to list positions through the match, and applicants choose whether to apply through it.

Participating

1. How should I rank programs?
   The VIRMP follows principles established by the Physicians National Intern and Resident Matching Program. The prospective intern or resident selects a program or programs to rank. It is advisable to rank more than one program because there is significant competition for most positions. Rank programs in the order you genuinely prefer them. The process is designed so that ranking a program first cannot hurt you if you do not match there since your list is evaluated in order, and you are considered for each program in turn. There is no strategic advantage to ranking a program lower than you prefer it.
   
   
2. Can programs see how I ranked them?
   No. Rank order lists are confidential. Programs cannot see applicant rank order lists, and applicants cannot see program rank order lists. Neither side learns the other’s preferences before or after the match.
   
   
3. How do applications work?
   Applicants complete an Application Packet via this website and selects and ranks the programs that interest them. The institution or private practice, through its selection process, ranks the applicants according to its criteria.
   
   
4. How does the matching process work?
   The VIRMP uses a central computer facility for matching prospective interns and residents with programs. Applicants create a rank order list of programs to which they want to apply. Institutions and private practices create a rank order list of applicants who they are willing to accept for their program. Both rank order lists are confidential. The VIRMP utilizes sophisticated computer software to match applicants and programs in a way that ensures each receives the highest available option on their rank order list.
   
   
5. Does the VIRMP set salaries for these positions?
   No. The VIRMP does not set, recommend, or limit compensation. Each program determines its own salary and benefits independently. Programs publish compensation information in their VIRMP listings.
   
   
6. Can I discuss compensation with a program?
   Compensation and terms of employment are set by the program. The VIRMP does not govern those discussions. Applicants are free to discuss compensation with programs at any time in the process.
   
   
7. What if my partner and I both want to match?
   The VIRMP does not provide special accommodation for couples applying together. Full details are in the Matching Process section.

Results and outcomes

1. What happens if I don’t match?
   Applicants who do not match can participate in a post-match process, where programs with unfilled positions and applicants without placements connect directly. Not matching is not the end of the process, and many applicants find positions afterward.
   
   
2. Am I obligated to accept my match?
   Yes. Participating in the VIRMP is a commitment. When an applicant and a program are matched, both are expected to honor that result. This mutual commitment is what makes the system work — it is the reason applicants can rank programs honestly without fear of losing a position.
   
   
3. Where can I see data about past matches?
   The AAVC publishes summary data for every match year. These data are available on the Match Data page, going back more than a decade. These data are updated in March each year.