51. The Signal Illusion in the Match: More Strategy, Same Chaos *CME*

Preference signaling was supposed to make the radiology Match smarter: fewer applications, less uncertainty, and a more efficient process for both applicants and programs. But did it actually work?

In this episode of Contrast & Clarity, Maddi and Jeff are joined by Christopher Keshishian, MD to unpack new data examining more than 1,300 matched radiology applicants across seven Match cycles. The results are surprising: applicants are submitting more applications, receiving fewer interview offers, and doubling the number of available signals hasn't meaningfully changed behavior.

Together, they explore the game theory behind the modern Match, why applicants and programs continue to adapt to one another, whether signaling has become more of a screening tool than a preference tool, and what increasing to 15 signals might mean for the future.

Whether you're a medical student preparing for the Match season, a program director navigating an avalanche of applications, or simply interested in how incentives shape behavior, this conversation will challenge the way you think about what preference signals are really signaling.

Find the full article here: https://www.jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(25)00745-8/abstract

Claim your CME here: https://cmetracker.net/EVMS/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/31902

Accreditation Information

Contributors

Madison Wulfeck, MD, MBA, CIIP

Jeffrey Waltz, MD

Christopher Keshishian, MD

Reviewers

Madison Wulfeck, MD, MBA

Release Date

August 2026

Expiration Date

August 2029

Disclosure Statement

The planners and contributors have no financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.

Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACGME) through the joint providership of Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University and Contrast & Clarity Podcast. Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation

Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University designates this enduring material activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

If you have any questions regarding CME, please email CME@ODU.edu or call757-446-6140.