Understanding the Preference Filter

PMCV introduced the top preference filter functionality in 2021 as a tool for health services to use whilst screening candidates for the Intern Match. Health services cannot see the candidates’ actual preference order, they can only see if candidates have preferenced the health service in the top three or top five preferences.

As the function has only recently been developed there are a few misconceptions floating around about how health services utilise the filter functionality. Rumours of this nature may confuse candidates and give them a false idea of how to best order their preferences, so their applications are viewed by health services.

To address this, PMCV surveyed all Victorian health services on how they use the top three or top five preference filter functions in the Intern Match. A total of 17 responses were received as follows:

• Six responses from Metro Hospitals
• Four responses from Regional Hospitals
• Seven responses from Rural Hospitals

Their answers to the survey are reflected in the data below:

Seemingly, this data suggests that Victorian health services are looking at all or most of the applications they receive. They simply use the filter tool to find out more about applicants and help prioritise them where necessary.

Please remember that as noted in our blog ‘Debunking 3 myths about the Allocation and Placement Service’ ,the only way that you can give yourself the best chance of being matched with your first preference is by listing it first.

We hope that by conducting and sharing the results from this survey you have peace of mind and know that your applications will be viewed by health services.

We encourage you to share this article to help your fellow candidates feel more confident in their matching process.

If you have any other concerns or questions you can contact us or you can head to the Allocation and Placement Service page for more information about the match process.

You can also download a summarised version of this survey in the below flyer to distribute to your fellow candidates.