Introduction
National Matching Services Inc. ("NMS", "we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal information in our possession and control. This Privacy Policy applies to all websites (natmatch.com, matchprogram.org), including all pages, sub-pages, and successor pages (collectively referred to as the "Website"), owned and operated by NMS. In addition to this Privacy Policy, details of the collection, use, disclosure, and otherwise treatment of your information are outlined in Match-specific Privacy Notices accessible from the links provided at the bottom of this page. You are strongly encouraged to read the Privacy Notice that applies to your Match.
This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes to our data privacy practices. You should refer to this Privacy Policy often, so you understand the latest information about your data privacy. Changes to the Privacy Policy will be posted on this Website with a date of last revision marked at the bottom of the page.
Collection of Your Information
NMS collects information about your visit and use of the Website. In general, you can visit the Website without indicating who you are or submitting any personal information. However, we collect and maintain the IP (Internet Protocol) addresses of all visitors to the Website and other related information such as page requests, browser type, operating system and average time spent on the Website. We use this information to help us understand Website activity and to monitor and improve the Website.
We may also use the following tools:
- Cookies: The Website uses a technology called "cookies". A cookie is a tiny element of data that the Website can send to your browser, which may then be stored on your hard drive so that you can be recognized when you return. We use cookies on the pages on the Website where you are prompted to log in. If you have registered with the Website, these cookies may let us know who you are and identify your browser as one that has visited the Website before, and may be necessary to access your account information (stored on our computers) in order to deliver services. We also use cookies to provide our service providers and us with information about your use of the Website so that we may personalize the Website or other content and improve your user experience. You may set your web browser to notify you when you receive a cookie or not to accept certain cookies. However, if you decide not to accept cookies from the Website, you may not be able to use all features of the Website.
- Analytics: We may use third parties to help us gather and analyze information about the areas visited on the Website and the timing of those visits in order to better understand, evaluate and improve the user experience and the convenience of our services.
- Tracers and Trackers: The Website and contracted service providers may use tracers or trackers to collect information about how you interact with the Website. Trackers will record statistics and diagnostic information about your visit to the website.
You are required to provide us with personal information in order to use our services. If you start the process of registering on our Website (e.g., to participate in a Match), register on the Website, or use our Website as a registered participant, NMS will collect personal information directly from you. The information collected is outlined in the Match-specific Privacy Notice accessible from the links provided at the bottom of this page. The personal information that we collect from you may include:
- your contact and payment information;
- personal, business or corporate information;
- application, interview, Rank Order List information; and,
- other personal information as determined by the Sponsoring Organization for your Match (Sponsoring Organization(s) are identified in the Match-specific Privacy Notices accessible from the links provided at the bottom of this page) or required for the provision of our service.
NMS may also collect your personal information directly from the Sponsoring Organization(s); from other parties involved with the Match (e.g., educational institutions or organizations, professional organizations, accrediting organizations, applicants, reference writers, recruiters); from other organizations who provide services complementary to the Match (e.g., a central application service, testing or assessment providers, etc.) or from other publicly available sources (e.g., professional or educational directories).
Use of Your Information
NMS may use the information it collects in a variety of ways to operate our business. Your information may be used for purposes related to:
- Operations: We may use your information to operate, maintain, enhance, provide, protect, execute, and report on our services. This includes, but is not limited to, providing a product, information or service requested; processing payment; carrying out an objective authorized by the user or otherwise disclosed to the user at the time the data are collected; to meet contractual and legal requirements; or as otherwise required or permitted by law.
- Improvements: We may use your information to understand and analyze the usage trends, preferences, and tendencies of visitors to our Website and individuals participating in or involved with our services.
- Communication: We may use your information for administrative and support purposes, like contacting users by email or phone with notifications about our services, to clarify or correct the information in our records, to verify your identity, or to provide information about related services.
Consult the Match-specific Privacy Notices accessible from the links provided at the end of this page for further detail on how your personal information may be processed.
Disclosure of Your Information
We may share your information:
- With a recipient you have designated for the information.
- With other Match participants, as approved by the Sponsoring Organization(s)
- To certain service providers who have been contracted to provide various services on our behalf, as required. These include providers of technology, hosting, data analysis, software development, administration, payment processing, marketing, and legal services. These service providers are given the information they need to perform their designated function, and we do not authorize them to use or disclose personal information for their marketing purposes.
- With Sponsoring Organization(s) of your Match or to organizations approved by the Sponsoring Organization(s) who provide complementary services related to our matching services (e.g., a central application service, testing or assessment providers, etc.).
- With organizations or individuals that are not related to the services we provide only in the following circumstances: (i) NMS has your consent; or, (ii) NMS has obtained the consent from the appropriate Sponsoring Organization(s); or, (iii) NMS has good faith that there is a legal obligation to share the data; or, (iv) NMS needs to share the data to protect the security of the service or of other users' data; or, (v) NMS needs to share the data to protect our rights and property or to enforce the Terms of Use; or, (vi) if we deem it to be in the best interest of supporting or administering the services we provide.
NMS does not sell your personal information to third parties without your or the Sponsoring Organization's explicit consent.
Your information may be transferred to, maintained, and/or processed by service providers in Canada, the US, or other jurisdictions with whom we have contracted to provide services.
Consult the Match-specific Privacy Notices accessible from the links provided at the end of this page for further detail on how your personal information may be disclosed.
Security of Your Information
We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards in an effort to protect against unauthorized access, use, modification, and disclosure of information in our custody and control. These measures include restricting access to information in our custody and control only to employees and authorized entities who require such information for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy and the Match-specific Privacy Notices.
Your online access to your personal information is protected by a password. We strongly recommend that you do not disclose your password to anyone. Please notify NMS immediately if you suspect any unauthorized access, use or disclosure of your information.
Accessing, Correcting or Removing Your Information
You have the right to access, update, correct and delete inaccuracies in your personal information in NMS's custody and control, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., your Rank Order List and other information cannot be changed after specified deadlines) and as prescribed by law. You may update the personal information you have provided to us by logging in to your account and updating the Dashboard, Account, Profile, Applications, Interviews, and Rankings sections of the Website.
Otherwise, you may request access, updating, corrections, or deletions of inaccuracies of your personal information in our possession or control by sending a written request to this effect to NMS at the contact information below.
National Matching Services Inc.
301-20 Holly St.
Toronto, ON M4S 3B1
- or -
matchinfo@natmatch.com
We may request certain personal information to verify your identity. Please note, that while any deletions will be reflected in active user databases within a reasonable period of time, we may retain all information you submit for backups, archiving, prevention of fraud and abuse, analytics, satisfaction of legal obligations or where we otherwise reasonably believe that we have a legitimate reason to do so.
Retention of Your Information
NMS retains your information to determine your eligibility to use our services and to provide reports and analysis on our services to the Sponsoring Organization(s).
We retain your information while under contract with the Sponsoring Organization(s) to provide services, or to otherwise meet legal requirements.
Legal
NMS may provide your information in response to a search warrant or other legally valid inquiry or order, or to an investigative body in the case of a potential breach of an agreement or contravention of law, or as otherwise required by law. We may disclose your information to comply with contractual or other legal obligations concerning the services we provide.
We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to modify, alter or otherwise update this Privacy Policy at any time.
We reserve the right to transfer any information collected from our Website in the event of a corporate reorganization or merger with a third party, or upon a transfer of all or a portion of our operations or assets to a third party.
Your information is stored, processed, and maintained in Canada and is subject to the laws of Canada and may be disclosed or accessed by the courts, law enforcement, and governmental authorities in accordance with the laws of Canada. If your information is transferred to the US or another foreign jurisdiction, it will be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction and may be disclosed or accessed by the courts, law enforcement, and governmental authorities in accordance with the laws of those jurisdictions.
Third-Party Websites
The Website may provide links to third-party websites that may be of relevance to our business. The inclusion of any link does not imply our endorsement of any other organization, its website, or its services. These linked websites have separate and independent privacy policies, which we recommend you read carefully. We have no control over such websites and therefore have no responsibility or liability for the manner in which the organizations that operate such linked websites may collect, use, disclose or otherwise treat your information.
MATCH-SPECIFIC PRIVACY NOTICE
- APPCN Resident Matching Program (APPCN Match)
- APPIC Internship Matching Program (APPIC Match)
- ASHP Resident Matching Program (ASHP Match)
- Central Application Service and Matching Program for Podiatric Residencies (CASPR)
- Chiropractic Residency Match (Chiro Match)
- Genetic Counseling Admissions Match (GC Admissions Match)
- Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program (Dental Match)
- Medical Physics Matching Program (MedPhys Match)
- Optometry Resident Matching Program (ORMatch)
- Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship Match (SSO Breast Match)
How to Contact Us
For more information about our privacy practices, or to report a complaint, contact the NMS Data Privacy Officer by e-mail at matchinfo@natmatch.com; by phone at (416) 977-3431; or in writing to National Matching Services Inc., 301-20 Holly St, Toronto ON M4S 3B1.
Last updated: November 9, 2023