Advising Medical Students for the Match: A National Survey of Pediatrics Clerkship Directors.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the role and perspectives of pediatrics clerkship directors (CDs) who provide advice to students who apply to Pediatrics residency training programs.


METHODS
We developed a survey based on previous studies and data from the 2012 National Residency Matching Program- Program Director (NRMP-PD) survey. Topics included CDs roles and confidence in advising, perspectives on applicants' competitiveness, and resources used to inform advising practice. This survey was disseminated as part of the 2013 Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics annual survey.


RESULTS
CDs from 63 (45%) Liaison Committee for Medical Education-accredited medical schools in the United States responded. All CDs had some advising role, and most (68%) served in a formal advising capacity. Most (58%) also participated in the intern selection process at their institution. Those with formal advising roles were not significantly more confident in their advising than those without formal roles. CDs relied heavily on subjective resources and most did not use the NRMP-PD survey data. Despite this, the perspectives of CDs were similar to those of program directors based on the most recent NRMP-PD survey.


CONCLUSIONS
Pediatrics CDs uniformly serve in advising capacities and have perspectives that compare favorably with those of program directors. Despite this concordance, the high reliance on subjective resources and the frequency in which CDs participate in intern selection raises concern. The results of this study have several implications for key stakeholders in the residency selection process.
Department of Pediatrics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Va. Electronic address: msryan@vcu.edu.
Michael S
MS
Ryan
Department of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Penn.
Leonard J
LJ
Levine
Office of Medical Education, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Jorie M
JM
Colbert-Getz
Department of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Penn.
Nancy D
ND
Spector
Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Ill.
H Barrett
HB
Fromme
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D008486:Physician Executives / Q000523:psychology*; D011361:Professional Competence; D024382:Professional Role; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
advising; pediatrics clerkship; residency application; undergraduate medical education