Read on Twitter
1/ With the upcoming 2021 match here’s a series of tweets about couples matching. @TJManolukas & I matched in to IM & Neurology respectfully in 2018. Here’s advice that we have for those doing this! 
@UTHSC_Medicine @uthscneurores @NMatch2021 #MedTwitter #NeuroTwitterNetwork
@UTHSC_Medicine @uthscneurores @NMatch2021 #MedTwitter #NeuroTwitterNetwork
2/ The decision to couples match can be a difficult one and ultimately regardless of specialty competitiveness, etc. it’s entirely up to you and your partner. @TJManolukas and I were lucky because IM and Neurology were pretty evenly matched for competiveness.
3/ GET ORGANIZED. This is probably the BEST piece of advice I can give to anyone participating in the match in general. We made a big excel sheet (color coordinated, of course 
) & started with states we potentially wanted to live in and searched for programs from there.
) & started with states we potentially wanted to live in and searched for programs from there.
4/ For example, if there was one university program in a city for Neurology but for IM there was a university program plus several community programs all of those IM programs went on @TJManolukas list.
5/ Our excel sheet kept track of everything such as emails for program coordinators, scores, opportunities unique to programs, etc.
6/ You do delineate on ERAS if you are participating in the couples match because you’ll end up putting your partners NRMP numbers in your application. This way programs know if they need to call the PD at another program when making their rank list.
7/ After submitting, when we began getting offers, in every reply from us we said something like “Thank you for this opportunity. I am actually couples matching with my fiancé/partner/spouse however they have not heard yet about an interview about from X’s program yet.”
8/ This way, if not already done there’s some conversation that starts to happen between programs which is great! 
9/ Bring up the fact that you’re couples matching during your interview if they don’t bring it up first. I noticed at some interviews it wasn’t listed on the first page of my application and usually the PD or APD would say “oh that’s great we will chat with the IM department.”
10/ Throughout the interview cycle make sure to keep reaching out to programs that your partner got an interview at but you did not. You can help each other!
11/ When making your rank lists, make as many combinations as possible (remember my earlier example of one neurology program to three IM programs in a city). Your lists match up in NRMP so check and recheck that everything is where you want it to be.
12/ At the bottom of our list we even had where we could be matched 4h apart. But in that scenario we thought it was better than neither of us matching. Again, it’s a big conversation and whatever works for you!
13/ Regarding the specifics of the NRMP couples match, there’s a great video on their website that is worth taking the time to watch closer to when rank lists are due.
14/ And my last piece of advise— do not underestimate the thoughtfulness of a hand written thank you card. We wrote them for all of our interviews and to our top programs right before rank lists were due. Did it seem extra? Yes. But it’s unique and it was genuine from us. 
15/ In 2018 we ended up matched at our #1 spot at UTHSC. So the process does work but we had people to give us advice along the way. Wishing everyone the best of luck this application season! @TJManolukas @uthscneurores @UTHSC_Medicine @NMatch2021 #MedTwitter #NeuroTwitterNetwork
