title: Postinterview communication between military residency applicants and training programs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Each year military medical students participate in a separate, military match culminating with the Joint Services Graduate Medical Education Selection Board (JSGMESB). Prior studies have explored postinterview communication that occurs during the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), but not during the JSGMESB. We examined the frequency and nature of communication during the JSGMESB and compared it with the NRMP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey study of senior students conducted at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and seven civilian U.S. medical schools during March to May 2010. Respondents answered questions regarding communication with residency programs during the match.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly fewer USU respondents communicated with programs compared with the civilian cohort (54.1% vs. 86.4%, p < 0.01). Specific inquiries regarding rank order were more commonly experienced by USU respondents compared with civilians (17.5% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.02). USU respondents found postinterview communication both helpful (41.3%) and stressful (41.3%). 11.1% of USU respondents indicated that they moved a program higher on their final rank lists because of further communication with these programs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postinterview communication during the JSGMESB process is less common and less stressful than that reported in the NRMP. USU respondents are more likely to be asked directly about their rank list and occasionally do change their lists. Uniform guidance mirroring the NRMP's dealing with direct inquiries about rank lists could potentially improve the process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
authors.forename: Temple A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Ratcliffe
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Durning
authors.forename: Anupam B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Jena
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grau
authors.forename: Anthony R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Artino
authors.forename: Vineet M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hauer
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oriol
authors.forename: D Michael
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Elnicki
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fagan
authors.forename: Heather E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Harrell
authors.forename: Dario M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Torre
authors.forename: Meryl
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prochaska
authors.forename: David O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Meltzer
authors.forename: Shalini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reddy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel; D012577:Schools, Medical; D013337:Students, Medical; D014481:United States