Our Story: Why MatchPal Exists
Last updated: October 21, 2026 · Written by the MatchPal Advising Team · Reviewed by Dan Veyg, DO
It’s worth knowing who you are working with, especially when you are trusting them with is your residency match. Here is the real story of why MatchPal exists.
We saw the gap from the inside
MatchPal started because a group of us, as medical students, kept running into the same uncomfortable truth: the best advice about matching comes from people who recently matched into the specialty you are trying to match into. Not from someone three decades removed from the process. Not from an administrator or support staff who never went through the process themselves.
We also saw the advantages peers at big-name medical schools experienced, the kind of institutions with a dedicated advising office and decades of alumni sitting on the exact committees you are trying to impress. We experienced another side of the match process, and saw real inequities on the road to residency if you went to a smaller, newer, or osteopathic school.
We also looked hard at what was available to students without strong in-house advising. Too often that meant guidance from well-meaning staff with no personal experience in the residency match, and sometimes no medical training at all. That gap had real costs for our classmates, from board exams that went worse than they probably should have, to match outcomes that seemed worse than what their application deserved.
We hated the alternative just as much
The other options on the table were not much better. Plenty of advising companies charge thousands of dollars for packages built around retired physicians who, however accomplished, are years removed from what the modern residency application landscape. ERAS changes. Signal strategy changes. Program preferences change. Outdated advice is not useful, and can harm your application. We didn’t think students should pay a premium for this type of service.
So we built the thing we wished had existed for us.
What is MatchPal
MatchPal runs on one idea: the people advising you on the residency application process should be the people who just did this, successfully, in your specialty, recently enough that their advice is still true.
Today that means a team of 80+ resident physicians across every specialty, currently in training, many of whom sit on their own programs’ admissions committees. They work directly with students on USMLE/COMLEX tutoring, specialty-specific mentorship, and application strategy. Our advisors have trained at a wide range of prestigious academic and community programs, but have in common tremendous personal experience at navigating the residency application and securing stellar match outcomes. They are matched to students by specialty and background using our comprehensive pairing algorithm or via student request, rather than assigned at random.
Since 2022 we have guided more than 1,000 students through this process. Students we have worked with carry a 99% USMLE/COMLEX pass rate (including students with a previous exam failure), and a 99% preferred specialty match rate, with 84% matching into one of their top three categorical ranks. We are proud of those numbers because they reflect real advising from people still in the field. No outcome is ever certain. No advising company, including this one, can promise you that you will match, and anyone who tells you otherwise is not giving you advice. They are giving you a sales pitch.
What we’re committed to
High-quality, one-on-one, specialty-specific, and near-peer mentorship, USMLE/COMLEX tutoring, and residency advising at a cost that does not require a second loan.
We want the barrier to personalized, up-to-date, and longitudinal guidance to be as low as possible, regardless of where you are attending medical school.
That’s the story. We are students who became residents, who got tired of watching good applicants get worse advice than they deserved, and built something else.
Stop Guessing. Start Strategizing.
If you are currently dealing with generic advice, an advisor removed from the modern match, or a price tag that does not match the guidance behind it, that is exactly the gap we exist to close.
Our 80+ resident physicians are in training right now, across every specialty, and recently excelled in the same application process you are about to navigate. Talk to someone who actually understands where you are.
Built by residents. For the students who are next.
What is MatchPal Residency Advising?
MatchPal Residency Advising is a residency application advising and board prep company for medical students. We pair MD and DO students one-on-one with residents in their target specialty for residency application advising, personal statement and ERAS editing, mock interviews, and USMLE and COMLEX tutoring. Since 2022, we’ve guided 1,000+ students through the Match. See all services.
Who are MatchPal's advisors?
MatchPal advisors are residents who matched in the specialty you’re applying to. Our team covers dermatology, orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, ENT, anesthesiology, general surgery, diagnostic and interventional radiology, internal medicine, pathology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and more. Meet the team here!
What is MatchPal's match rate?
99% of past MatchPal students match into a categorical position in their preferred specialty, and 84% match at one of their top 3 ranked programs.
For reference, the national overall Match rate for MD/DOs hovers around 93% and roughly 65% match into their top 3 programs.
Does MatchPal work with DO students?
Yes! MatchPal was co-founded by an MD and DO physician duo, and many of our advisors & tutors are DOs. We understand COMLEX, OMM, and the challenges DO applicants face in competitive specialties, including how to present COMLEX scores and whether to also take the USMLE. See our dedicated COMLEX tutoring and OMM Bootcamp.
When should I start working with a residency advisor?
The best time to start is MS2 or early MS3, before you choose away rotations and start your personal statement.
MS1 and MS2 students can start with our Competitive Specialty Accelerator Program (see all MS1/MS2 services).
MS3s and MS4s can start with residency application advising (see all MS3/MS4 services), and MS4s who’ve already submitted get the most from interview prep and rank list strategy.
Can MatchPal edit my Personal Statement and ERAS experiences?
Yes! MatchPal’s line-by-line personal statement and ERAS editing is done by residents in your specialty who collectively read and evaluate thousands of applications every cycle.
They sharpen your story, make sure your experiences and most meaningful entries read the way program directors in that field expect, and catch red flags generic editors miss.
Can MatchPal help me match into a competitive specialty?
Yes. With advisors available in every single specialty, over 50% of our team is currently training in the most competitive specialties in the Match.
Many MatchPal students apply to competitive specialties like dermatology, orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, ENT, and anesthesiology. Your advisor builds a realistic program list from your scores, research, and rotations, then helps you close the gaps.
How does MatchPal's residency mock interview prep work?
Each structured 1hr mock interview session is with a resident in your target specialty and includes 30min of true mock interview followed by 30min of targeted feedback.
They tailor questions to your story, CV, and ERAS application, coach your answers, and give specific feedback so you walk into interview day confident and ready to sell your experiences as an asset to programs.
Does MatchPal offer USMLE and COMLEX tutoring?
Yes. MatchPal offers one-on-one USMLE tutoring for Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3, as well as COMLEX tutoring for Level 1, Level 2-CE, and Level 3. We also support students for pre-clinical coursework and shelf exams.
Every single one of our tutors are 90th+ percentile USMLE/COMLEX scorers who build your custom study plan from a diagnostic of your weak areas and question bank/practice exam performance, and focus with you on question taking strategy and targeted content review.
What free residency resources does MatchPal offer?
MatchPal offers free tools and guides for every level of medical training.
You can explore them all in our resource library or below:
Residency Personal Statement Guide
Step 2/Level 2 Dedicated Study Plan
How do I get started with MatchPal?
The easiest way to get started is by booking a free strategy call!
You’ll talk through your specialty, timeline, and application with one of our team members, and we’ll recommend the right service and pair you with the best matched advisor in your field!