DP15559 Top of the Batch: Interviews and the Match

Author(s):	Federico Echenique, Ruy Gonzalez, Alistair Wilson, Leeat Yariv
Publication Date:	December 2020
Keyword(s):	Deferred acceptance, First-rank matches, Interviews, NRMP
JEL(s):	C78, D47, J44
Programme Areas:	Labour Economics, Industrial Organization
Link to this Page:	cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=15559

Most doctors in the NRMP match with one of their most-preferred internship programs. However, surveys indicate doctors' preferences are similar, suggesting a puzzle: how can so many doctors match with their top choices when positions are scarce? We provide one possible explanation. We show that the patterns in the NRMP data may be an artifact of the interview process that precedes the match. Our study highlights the importance of understanding market interactions occurring before and after a matching clearinghouse, and casts doubts on analyses of clearinghouses that take reported preferences at face value.