2009 MATCH: INFORMATION ABOUT RANK ORDER LISTS AND NRMP POLICY

Upcoming Important Dates – 1 1. Match Day, Thursday, March 19, Commencement, Sunday, May 17, 2009

Upcoming Important Dates – 2 1. Golf Outing at Dr. O’Bryan’s: Saturday, May 2, Alumni Banquet: Saturday, May 9, 2009, Essex Ballroom, The Westin Copley Hotel

CREATING YOUR RANK ORDER LIST Boston University School of Medicine Office of Student Affairs January 13, 2009

POINTS TO COVER: Deadlines and dates Meet with Student Affairs Deans Strategies How the Algorithm works NRMP Rules Match Week

Deadlines and Dates January 13, 2009Ranking opens in R3 January 31, 2009Final program quotas February 25, 2009 Ranking closes in R3 9:00 PM Eastern March 16, 2009Did I Match? 12:00 Noon Eastern March 17, 2009List of Unfilled Programs 12:00 Noon Eastern(Unmatched Applicants can contact Unfilled Programs) March 19, 2009Match Day 12:00 Noon EasternMatch Results at BUSM 1:00 PM EasternMatch Results on-line at NRMP

You are encouraged to make an appointment with either your advisor or a Student Affairs Dean to discuss putting together your Rank Order List Dr. Phyllis Carr: Dr. Paul O’Bryan: Dr. Joel Dr. Kenneth Grundfast Dr. Robert Dr. Jonathan Woodson Dr. John Polk MEET WITH ADVISOR

Strategies Refer to Charting Outcomes in the Match Assess competitiveness Specialty Program Yourself Assess the program Make your ROL long enough Go for the “reach” program Include a “safety” program

Length of Rank Order List - too short can be problematic – minimum of 10 programs Don’t list a program you know you won’t be happy with Don’t hear “We want you at our program” as a final commitment Include a FailSafe Program STRATEGIES

Rank Order List - Anesthesiology 1.Boston Univ. Medical Center - Anesthesiology a. BMC Transitional b. UMass Transitional c. Newton Wellesley Transitional 2. Oregon Health & Sciences - Anesthesiology 3. Harbor-UCLA - Anesthesiology 4. BMC Transitional 5. UMass Transitional

FAMOUS EASTERN MEDICAL SCHOOL GENERAL HOSPITAL Dear Applicant: We have thoroughly enjoyed your visit with us and it is clear that you will excel wherever you choose to go. You represent the kind of candidate that has traditionally done well in our program and we hope to have the opportunity to work with you in the coming year. Yours sincerely, Program Director

RESIDENCY CHOICE CRITERIA BUSMMGHNEMCUMassUCLA Teach85885 Location Family Happy Residents Total

HOW THE MATCH ALGORITHM WORKS Applicant’s proposal Starts with an attempt to place an applicant in the program ranked #1 by the applicant A tentative Match occurs: > if the program also ranked the applicant and the program has unfilled positions > if the program is filled but the applicant is ranked higher than another applicant tentatively matched to that program

No Match: if the program did not rank the applicant if the program ranked the applicant, but is filled with other more preferred applicants Couples The algorithm places a couple in their highest ranked pair of programs on the PRIMARY list where BOTH matched Final Matches When the algorithm completes its cycles, all tentative matches become final More information: HOW THE MATCH ALGORITHM WORKS

SUMMARY Discuss your list with Deans and faculty advisors. Prepare a Rank Order List worksheet before entering the NRMP Match Site. Be Sure to certify your Rank Order List. Complete your Rank Order List at least a week before the February 25, 2009 deadline. Do not make last minute changes to your Rank Order List – most such changes are not well thought out and applicants frequently regret the changes. Feel comfortable with your first three choices. Relax!

NRMP Rules Programs in the Match can take US allopathic seniors only through the NRMP or other matches. You can express interest in a program but you cannot ask how you will be ranked. A program cannot demand to know how it will be ranked by the applicant. Applicants and programs are legally bound by the results of the Match. BUSM includes Match violations as part of your permanent record

MATCH WEEK - MARCH Monday - Did I Match? Tuesday - Unfilled Program List Thursday - Match Day Celebrations - Where Did I Match?

Application for Medical License If you took more than 4 years to complete your medical education, your state licensure board may request a letter from your medical school, explaining why. Your residency program and/or licensure board will let you know if this is a requirement, and where to have us send this information.

For more information visit: Residency Match Questions? or (toll-free)

The Match Commitment SECTION 5.1: “The listing of an applicant by a program on its certified rank order list or of a program by an applicant on the applicant's certified rank order list establishes a binding commitment to offer or to accept an appointment if a match results. Failure to honor this commitment by either party participating in a match will be a breach of this Agreement and may result in penalties to the breaching program or applicant…….”

Match Waivers Applicants: Hardship Change of specialty: must be requested by January 15 Completion of residency postponed Waivers must be requested from, and can be granted only by, the NRMP.

Match Waivers - Consequences If a waiver is approved: –The applicant may obtain another position or participate in future match and the program may begin to recruit for the position. If a waiver is not approved: –Both the applicant and program are expected to honor the match commitment. –Failure to honor the match commitment is grounds for a violation investigation and the levying of sanctions.

Pre-Match Communication 6.0 Restrictions on Persuasion “One of the purposes of the Matching Program is to allow both applicants and programs to make selection decisions on a uniform schedule and without coercion or undue or unwarranted pressure. Both applicants and programs may express their interest in each other; however, they shall not solicit verbal or written statements implying a commitment. It is a breach of the applicable Match Participation Agreement for either party to suggest or inform the other that placement on a rank order list is contingent upon submission of a verbal or written statement indicating ranking intentions. In addition, it is a breach of the Match Participation Agreement for a program and applicant in the Matching Program to make any verbal or written contract for appointment to a concurrent year residency or fellowship position prior to the Matching Program.”

Examples of Prohibited Communication #1 - In the 2009 Main Residency Match, Dr. John Doe interviewed with the General Surgery program at National Medical Center. The program director was unsure how to respond when asked by Dr. Doe who else he planned to interview and whether he planned to rank Dr. Doe as his top choice for a resident. #2 - In the 2009 Main Residency Match, Dr. Holly Golightly interviewed with the Radiation-Oncology Program at American Hospital Center. She was encouraged at the end of her interview to send the program director a note indicating her level of interest so that the director would know how or whether to rank her.

Violation Investigations Report potential violation to Executive Director Information gathered by NRMP Preliminary Report reviewed by all parties Case reviewed by Violations Committee Review Panel Report to violator Violator can arbitrate Final Report distributed Violation policy is at

Applicant Violations-Common Reasons –Applicant fails to honor the match commitment –Applicant fails to provide complete, timely, and accurate information to programs –Applicant discusses or accepts position in another program prior to receiving a waiver from the NRMP

Violation by an Applicant Final Report sent to: –Applicant’s medical school –Directors of residency programs –American Board of Medical Specialties –FSMB* (if applicant is to be permanently barred) –Interested parties Applicant may be identified as a match violator in R3 System or barred from future matches for up to three years, or permanently. Applicant may be barred from match-participating programs for one year.

NRMP Rules Programs at match-participating institutions, regardless of match participation status, can take US allopathic seniors only through the NRMP or another national matching plan Applicants and programs can express interest in but cannot ask about ranking intentions Applicants and programs are bound by the results of the Match

GENERAL INFORMATION - 1 Powerpoint slides will be available on OSA website: application-process-2009/ application-process-2009/ Please complete the on-line forms and award nominations in the OSA Match & Graduation Information site, which opens January 14, 2009: osa/commencement_2009http:// osa/commencement_2009

Rank Order List may be entered on any computer with Internet access: home computer, public library computers, Alumni Medical Library, main campus libraries, Office of Student Affairs Access NRMP Rank Order List website with AAMC ID # and self-created password Your signature is required if you withdraw from the Match, - please contact Loretta Dyson in the Registrar’s Office at (617) You must withdraw by 4:00 p.m., February 25, GENERAL INFORMATION - 2

Getting Started Complete applications and interviews Review ROL section of User Guide – plicant.pdfhttp:// plicant.pdf Use your AAMC ID and password to login to the NRMP’s Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) System Couples must register both partners’ AAMC IDs in their NRMP files Your NRMP/AAMC ID and your ERAS/AAMC ID must be the same

DEFINITIONS Match Status: ACTIVE Registered RANKING ROL started CERTIFIED ROLROL finished Fee Status: PAID No fees due Credentials: VERIFIEDBy school (US and Canadian applicants) ECFMG Status: VERIFIEDBy ECFMG (IMGs & 5th Pathway applicants)

Couples Information Any two applicants can couple. $15 per partner couples fee. 30 programs can be ranked by each partner before extra rank fees apply Each partner enters their own list. Lists MUST have same number of ranks Applicants participating as couple can rank same program more than once Use special code ( ) to indicate when one partner is willing to go unmatched if other partner matches. Code should be used at bottom of lists when other acceptable program pairs exhausted Couples matching done on PRIMARY list only – supplemental rank order lists are NOT linked

Couples Verification

NRMP Fees Registration fee$40 Late registration$50 additional (after Nov 30) Couples$15 per partner Primary ROL 1-20 programs: No charge Additional programs$30 per program ranked Supplemental ROL(s)1-20 programs: No charge Additional programs$30 per program ranked on all supplemental lists combined Couples ROL30 programs before extra fees are charged

Final Considerations Do not wait until the last minute to enter your Rank Order List. The servers may be overloaded and very slow. Do not make last minute changes to your Rank Order List. Most such changes are not well thought out and applicants frequently regret the changes. No changes can be made to ROLs after 9:00 PM EASTERN time February 25, 2009, and only certified lists will be used in the Match. The NRMP will NOT enter a list, add, delete or move programs or in any way modify a Rank Order List.

Application for Medical License If you took more than 4 years to complete your medical education, your state licensure board may request a letter from your medical school, explaining why. Your residency program and/or licensure board will let you know if this is a requirement, and where to have us send this information.

For more information visit: Residency Match Questions? or (toll-free)