title: Applying to subspecialty fellowship: clarifying the confusion and conflicts!
abstract: Of graduating obstetrics and gynecology residents, 40% apply for fellowship training and this percentage is likely to increase. The fellowship interview process creates a substantial financial burden on candidates as well as significant challenges in scheduling the multiple interviews for residents, residency programs, and fellowship programs. Coverage with relatively short lead time is needed for some resident rotations, multiple residents may request time off during overlapping time periods, and applicants may not be able to interview based on conflicting interview dates or the inability to find coverage from other residents for their clinical responsibilities. To address these issues, we propose that each subspecialty fellowship within obstetrics and gynecology be allocated a specified and limited time period to schedule their interviews with minimal overlap between subspecialties. Furthermore, programs in close geographic areas should attempt to coordinate their interview dates. This will allow residents to plan their residency rotation schedules far in advance to minimize the impact on rotations that are less amenable to time away from their associated clinical duties, and decrease the numbers of residents needing time off for interviews during any one time period. In addition, a series of formal discussions should take place between subspecialties related to these issues as well as within subspecialties to facilitate coordination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI. Electronic address: Gary.Frishman@Brown.edu.
authors.forename: Gary N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Frishman
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI.
authors.forename: Carrie L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northshore University Health Systems, University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Skokie, IL.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Botros
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC.
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Brost
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio, San Antonio, TX.
authors.forename: Randal D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA.
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steinauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Jason D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR.
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007586:Job Application; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D013043:Specialties, Surgical
keywords: subspecialty fellowship interviews