NMS | ORMatch Privacy

You are strongly encouraged to read the National Matching Services Inc. Privacy Policy (natmatch.com/terms/privacy.html) as it describes policies and procedures that apply to this Match.

Introduction

National Matching Services Inc. ("NMS", "we", "us", "our") provides application and matching services for the Optometry Residency Match (the "Match" or "ORMatch").

ORMatch collects and distributes application information and places applicants into optometry residency positions. Match participants include residencies offering positions in the Match, applicants seeking positions in the Match, reference writers, and Directors of Residencies at schools and colleges of optometry involved in residency recruitment, and the VA Director of Optometric Service.

The Match Websites (natmatch.com/ormatch, ormatch.matchprogram.org), including all pages, sub-pages, and successor pages (collectively referred to as the "Website") provide information about the Match and tools for participants to access, view and manage the information they submit to the Match.

To the extent permissible by law, your use of the Match Website provides your agreement and consent for NMS to collect, use, disclose and otherwise manage your information as set out in the Privacy Policy (natmatch.com/terms/privacy.html) and this Match-specific Privacy Notice. You also agree to the Website Terms of Use described in detail at natmatch.com/terms/tou.html.

Sponsoring Organization

The Match is sponsored and supervised by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) (herein referred to as the "Sponsoring Organization"). NMS administers the Match and processes your information on behalf of and under contract with the ASCO.

The Sponsoring Organization retains sole ownership of and proprietary rights to all information that you provide to NMS for purposes of administering or supporting the Match. Other than as is used to administer or support the Match, or as ordered by a court of law, NMS will not disclose or make use of any information you provide to NMS without first obtaining explicit consent from the Sponsoring Organization.

Collection of Your Information

If you start the process of registering on the Match Website (e.g., set up an account), register on the Website, or use the Match Website as a registered participant, NMS will collect information directly from you. NMS may also collect information about you from the Sponsoring Organization, or other organizations with an interest in the Match as approved by the Sponsoring Organization (e.g., the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education, National Board of Optometry, etc.). The information collected is used to administer and support the Match.

For residencies and programs, the information collected by NMS includes, but is not limited to: IP address and times of your visits to the Match Website; program name; code number; password; security questions and answers; address; affiliated school or college; accreditation status; program coordinator name; phone number; fax number; e-mail address; programs offered in the Match; application deadline date; positions available for each program offered; reason for withdrawal, if any; application information for applicants who applied to each program and the dates those applications were submitted, received and distributed; evaluations of applications, including ratings, tags, and comments; Rank Order List(s), date of entry, updates, and certification; information on applicants matched to each program; and logs of the actions you take on the Website.
For applicants, the information collected by NMS includes, but is not limited to: IP address and times of your visits to the Match Website; name; code number; password; security questions and answers; address; phone numbers; e-mail address; date of birth; gender; race, ethnicity, US Citizenship status; educational information including National Board of Optometry (NBEO) OE Tracker Number, Part I, Part II, Part III, Injection Skill Exam and Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease Score; optometry school of graduation; year of graduation; grade point average; undergraduate major; CVs, transcripts, letters of intent, and other uploaded documents; contact information of chosen reference writers, labels assigned to reference letters, and uploaded reference letters; list of programs which have been selected for applications; ratings, tags, and comments on the applications submitted to selected programs; date the applications were submitted; Rank Order List, date of entry, updates, and certification; program to which applicant is matched (if any); credit card payment verification information; cheque information; name and code number of partner, if applicant is participating in the Match as a couple; and logs of the actions you take on the Website.
For schools and colleges of optometry, the information collected by NMS includes, but is not limited to: IP address and times of your visits to the Match Website; name of school or college; information on residencies affiliated with the school or college; information on applicants who have graduated and or will graduate from the school; information on applicants who have applied to residencies affiliated with the school or college; the results obtained by each applicant from the school; the results obtained by each residency affiliated with the school; name and contact information for the Director of Residencies; password; security questions and answers; and logs of the actions you take on the Website.
For the VA Director of Optometric Service, the information collected by NMS includes, but is not limited to: IP address and times of your visits to the Match Website; information on residencies affiliated with the VA; applications from applicants who have applied to VA residency programs; the results obtained by each residency affiliated with the VA; name and contact information for the Director of Optometric Service; password; security questions and answers; and logs of the actions you take on the Website.
For Reference Writers, the information collected by NMS includes, but is not limited to: IP address and time of your visit to the Match Website; name; password; security questions and answers; e-mail address; list of applicants who have requested reference letters from the reference writer; any documents uploaded to the system; and logs of the actions you take on the Website.
Sometimes NMS surveys Match participants. If you agree to complete the survey, your responses and answers to the survey questions are collected.
When you call or e-mail NMS with a comment or question, we will collect this information to enable NMS to respond to your comment or question and to monitor or improve our services. We may ask for your information in order to respond to your comment or question.
Sometimes NMS asks for information that you are not required to provide but may provide if you wish. For example, we may request certain information to identify you as a unique Match participant.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the information you provide is truthful, complete, and correct. NMS and the Sponsoring Organization reserve the right to verify any information provided as part of your participation in the Match. If any information you provide is determined to be false, misleading, or if you conceal or withhold requested information, your participation may be denied and/or your Match result may be revoked. The determination of whether the information you provide is false or whether you have concealed or withheld information may be shared with Match participants and/or other interested parties.

Use of Your Information

Your information may be used in the following ways:

NMS uses your information to identify you as a unique Match participant, to verify payment for the Match, to assemble and distribute applications and application information, to obtain and distribute official Score Report Data from the NBEO, to enter and confirm ranking information, to withdraw you from the Match, to execute the Match, to communicate with you by e-mail and/or phone, to provide you with support, and to report results.
NMS may use your information to populate the Optometry Resident Directory (http://odresidents.com. The Optometry Resident Directory provides a centralized online source of information on optometry residents and is sponsored by ASCO.
Your information may be used by NMS, the Sponsoring Organization or a third-party authorized by the Sponsoring Organization to create aggregate, non-personally identifiable statistics for use by the public, by the Sponsoring Organization, or by Match participants for performance, policy, development, and other research purposes.
NMS may use your information to resolve issues raised by interested parties that are related to the accuracy, quality, security, comprehensiveness, and performance of the Match.
NMS may survey Match participants. Your information is used to contact you to advise you of the survey. If you agree to complete the survey, your information is used only to process the survey responses.

Disclosure of Your Information

Your information may be disclosed in the following ways:

NMS may disclose all of your information to the Sponsoring Organization. The Sponsoring Organization may use or share the information for research, marketing, commercial, or other business purposes, whether conducted by the Sponsoring Organization or a third-party authorized by the Sponsoring Organization.
NMS may disclose your information in aggregated statistics for use by the public, by the Sponsoring Organization and by Match participants for performance, policy, development and other research purposes.
NMS may disclose program contact information on a publicly accessible section of the Match website.
NMS may disclose to applicants information, including name, contact information, and program offerings for all residencies participating in the Match.
NMS may disclose to programs the name, code number, participation status, optometry school of graduation and graduation date for applicants participating in the Match; the application information submitted by an applicant to the program; official NBEO Score Report data for applicants to the program; the name and code number of applicants that matched to a program; information on programs that have positions available after the Match; contact information and the program types ranked by applicants who registered for the Match but were not matched.
NMS may disclose to applicants the residency and program to which they have been matched.
NMS may disclose to residencies, programs, and schools affiliated with those residencies, the names, uploaded content, and status of the reference writers asked to submit references to the residency.
NMS may disclose on a publicly accessible section of the Website contact and program information of residencies with positions that remain unfilled after the Match.
NMS will disclose to schools and colleges the name, code number and e-mail address of applicants who applied to their affiliated programs; the application information submitted by the applicant to their affiliated programs; the Match results obtained by each of their affiliated programs; aggregate statistics on the race and ethnicity of applicants who matched to their affiliated programs; the Match results obtained by each of their graduates; and the Match result obtained by each applicant that registered for the Match.
NMS will disclose to the VA Director of Optometric Service, the code number, name, and e-mail address of applicants who applied to VA affiliated programs; the application information submitted by the applicant to VA affiliated programs; the Match Participation Status, quota, contact details and number of ranks submitted by each affiliated program; the Match results obtained by each affiliated VA program; the Match result obtained by each applicant that registered for the Match; contact information and the program types ranked by applicants who registered for the Match but were not matched.
NMS may disclose your contact and Match result information in the Optometry Resident Directory (http://odresidents.com. The Optometry Resident Directory provides a centralized online source of information on optometry residents and is sponsored by ASCO.
NMS may disclose your information to third parties as requested by the Sponsoring Organization.
NMS may disclose your information to regulatory authorities, law enforcement or other persons, as authorized or required by law.
NMS reserves the right to disclose your information to interested parties, at our sole discretion, if we deem it to be in the best interest of supporting or administering the application or matching services.

How to Contact Us

For more information about our privacy practices, or to report a complaint, contact NMS by e-mail at ormatch@natmatch.com; by phone at (416) 977-3431; or in writing to National Matching Services Inc., 301-20 Holly St, Toronto ON M4S 3B1.