The departmental advisor's effect on medical students' confidence when the advisor evaluates or recruits for their own program during the match.
BACKGROUND
Departmental advisors who also serve on residency selection committees at their institutions have a dual role as advisor and evaluator of residency applicants.


OBJECTIVE
This study explores this dual role and its effect on medical students' confidence in the advising relationship.


METHODS
A secure, anonymous questionnaire was made available online to 1,362 graduating medical students from ten U.S. medical schools who participated in the 2001 match.


RESULTS
Of the 740 respondents (54.3% response rate), 349 (47.2%) met with a departmental advisor at their medical school. Most (212 or 60.7%) had departmental advisors who also served on a residency selection committee. These applicants reported feeling significantly less comfortable with their advisors and were significantly more likely to make misleading statements during the match.


CONCLUSIONS
Applicants whose departmental advisors serve on a residency selection committee have less confidence in the advising relationship. These interactions may have adverse effects on the clinical and professional development of medical students.
Miller
John Bernard
JB
Tacoma Family Medicine, Tacoma, Washington, USA. jmiller96@hotmail.com
Koehn
Nerissa N
NN
Schaad
Douglas C
DC
Crittenden
Robert A
RA
Oriol
Nancy E
NE
D016265:Conflict of Interest; D003253:Consultants; D003376:Counseling / Q000592:standards; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards*; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000379:methods; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States