OB/GYN Interview Communication Policy

Are post-interview communications allowed?

The NRMP has detailed regulations regarding the match process, most of which pertain to post-interview communications and is outlined in their "2024 Match Participation Agreement for Applicants and 2024 Program Main Residency Match."

Key sections have been presented here:

6.0         PARTICIPATION IN THE MAIN RESIDENCY MATCH AND SOAP

The Match process enables programs to investigate applicants and to make informed selection decisions based on the program’s true preferences, on a uniform schedule, and without undue or unwarranted pressure.

6.1         Duty to Act in an Ethical and Professional Manner

All Match participants are required to conduct their affairs in an ethical and professionally responsible manner. The duty under this Agreement:

1. Extends throughout the application, interview, matching processes, and SOAP; and
2. Through the 45th day following the start date of training as listed in the appointment contract; or
3. Upon conclusion of any NRMP-related waiver review, violation investigation, or appeal process.

NRMP’s Code of Conduct for Programs is available to review at www.nrmp.org.

6.2         Interview Period

The recruitment phase for the Main Residency Match must be transparent, grounded in equitable practices, reflect mutual respect for the needs of applicants and programs, and minimize unnecessary pressure. To that end, applicants and programs are bound by the terms of the applicable Match Participation Agreement to demonstrate ethical behavior when engaging in interview offers and acceptances.

During the recruitment phase, programs shall:

1. Extend interview offers that equal, not exceed, the total number of available interview slots;
2. Provide applicants no less than 48 hours to accept or reject an interview invitation; and
3. Apply reasonable measures of notification (e.g., one-to-two weeks’ notice) when needing to cancel or reschedule an interview.

During recruitment, programs may expect applicants to make judicious assessment of and decisions about interview offers, accepting only those they intended to fulfill and apply reasonable measures of notification (e.g., one-to-two weeks’ notice) when needing to cancel or request rescheduling of an interview.

6.3         Completeness, Timeliness, and Accuracy of Information

6.3.1      Between the Program and Applicants

The NRMP is not responsible for ensuring the accuracy of information exchanged between programs and applicants.

1. Programs are responsible for ensuring the completeness, timeliness, and accuracy of all information provided to applicants. This includes: All written, electronic, and verbal information provided to applicants throughout recruitment, the onboarding cycle, and through the 45th day following the appointment start date; and All written, electronic, and verbal information provided to the
2. For the Main Residency Match and SOAP, programs must disclose to applicants, at the start of recruitment, the application service or process they will require.
3. The omission of information pertinent to an applicant’s decision to rank a program may be deemed a violation of this Agreement. Before the Rank Order List Certification Deadline, or the offering of a position through SOAP, the program shall:
4. Provide a copy of the appointment agreement that matched applicants will be expected to sign if such an agreement is available, or a copy of the agreement currently in use; Once provided, applicants must be notified of any material change to the appointment agreement.
5. Provide all institutional and program policies regarding eligibility for appointment to a residency training position including but not limited to:

Expected or required academic, educational, or prior training credentials; Pre-employment drug testing and background check; Information relevant to licensure status or visa

Programs shall obtain a signed acknowledgement of such communication from each applicant interviewed or be able to demonstrate that eligibility requirements were made available to each applicant interviewed in accordance with Section 4.0 of this Agreement. The timely disclosure by the program of the official policies of the appointing institution and/or program does not imply that the applicant interviewed will be ranked, will receive a matched position, or have an offer of a position extended during SOAP.

The program’s obligation to provide complete, timely, and accurate information extends through the applicant’s 45th day following the start date as listed in the appointment agreement for the program position obtained through the Match or SOAP.

Programs must notify matched applicants and the NRMP of any circumstance (e.g., anticipated program closure, insufficient funding resulting in a reduction in training positions, etc.) that may delay, adversely impact, or prevent an applicant from commencing training with a matched program on the start date identified in the appointment agreement.

6.3.2     Between the Program and the NRMP

Programs have an obligation to submit complete, timely, and accurate information to the NRMP for the period beginning with submission of an electronically signed Match Participation Agreement until the 45th day following the start date of the program’s positions processed by the matching algorithm or offered through SOAP, or the conclusion of any NRMP-related waiver or deferral review, violation investigation or appeal process, whichever is later.

6.4         Confidentiality

Program information contained in the R3 system is confidential and available only to authorized users. Unauthorized use or disclosure of such information by a program is a violation of this Agreement.

At all times, programs have the right to keep confidential:

1. All information pertaining to the names and identities of applicants;
2. All information pertaining to preference signals;
3. All information pertaining to offers, acceptance, and the outcomes of interviews; and
4. All information pertaining to ranking preferences and SOAP preferences.
   • Rank order lists and SOAP preference lists are confidential, and it is the policy of the NRMP not to disclose such information in any manner that permits individual identification to other programs or applicants except in response to a subpoena or an order from a court of competent jurisdiction.

Before the Rank Order List Certification Deadline:

1. A program may voluntarily communicate to an applicant that they are viewed favorably and will be ranked by the program; however, programs may not solicit verbal or written statements from an applicant implying a commitment to rank the program
2. Applicants may voluntarily communicate their interest to a program(s); however, applicants may not solicit verbal or written statements from a program(s) implying a commitment to rank the applicant.
   
   

6.5        Restrictions on Persuasion

Programs have a right to make selection decisions that are free of undue or unwarranted pressure and should report to the NRMP any violations of these rights. Only the final preferences of programs and applicants as expressed on their final certified rank order list or by offers extended and accepted through SOAP, will determine the offering of positions and placement of applicants through the Match.

Programs are not authorized at any time during the interview, matching, or onboarding processes to:

1. Request that applicants reveal the names, specialties, geographic locations, or other identifying information about the program(s) to which they have or may apply;
2. Request that applicants reveal preference signal(s) if in a specialty participating in preference signaling;
3. Request that applicants reveal any information pertaining to the interviews they were offered, accepted, declined, or attended;
4. Request that applicants reveal ranking preferences;
5. Suggest or inform applicants that placement on a rank order list or a SOAP preference list is contingent upon submission of a verbal, electronic, or written statement indicating the applicant’s preference;
6. Make any written, electronic, or verbal offer or contract for appointment to a concurrent year residency or fellowship position before the release of the List of Unfilled Programs; and
7. Have any written, electronic, or verbal contact with a matched applicant not matched into their program for the purpose of offering an interview, offering placement in the program, or requesting the applicant apply to a program.

6.6        Three-year Medical Education Curriculum

Programs affiliated with medical schools providing a 3-year medical education curriculum must not enter into agreements with students regarding training positions outside of the Match. Programs must not:

1. Promise or guarantee (verbally or in writing) residency training positions;
2. Offer "conditional acceptance," "pre-matched," or "matched" positions outside of the Match;
3. Compel, request, or require that students commit to the training program prior to the release of the Match results;
4. Indicate or imply that a training position is secured or guaranteed before Match results are released; or
5. Prevent applicants from exploring, applying to, interviewing with, or ranking programs of their choice.

Given the requirements listed above from the NRMP and the guidelines provided by the RRR Grant Project Team, in collaboration with APGO and GREOG leadership, please be aware of our program’s expectations regarding pre and post-interview communication (listed below).

Does Augusta University OBGYN residency program accept pre-interview communication from, or on the behalf of, applicants?

• Yes, from applicants only, but we do not anticipate it will contribute to our selection process and plan to rely on program signaling. Communication should relate to questions about the program or interview process that need clarified. As far as questions applicants may have about our program, please refer to our social media websites (we are on Facebook, twitter and Instagram).
• Please note that if an applicant plans to cancel an interview, this should be communicated to the program as early as possible.

Does Augusta University OBGYN residency program accept thank you notes?

• Thank you notes are up to the applicants but are not expected by our program and will not impact their ranking.

Does Augusta University OBGYN residency program accept post-interview communication from, or on the behalf of, applicants?

• Yes, from applicants only, but we do not anticipate it will contribute to our rank selection process and plan to rely on interviews. Communication should relate to questions about the program that need clarified and not about rank selection.

Should an applicant expect to hear from Augusta University OBGYN residency program after interview day?

• Yes, possibly, however, we only communicate with interviewed applicants regarding any updates or new items for their consideration.

Does Augusta University OBGYN residency program allow in-person visits?

• We recognize that in-person second look visits may be important to applicants since they allow those who are considering a program to experience the hospitals and other locations where they would train, the residents they would train with, and the city where they would live. We recognize this is an important decision, and as we thought about whether to have an in-person second look event this year, we have concluded that we do not want to disadvantage applicants by not offering the opportunity to come for an in-person second look since it may be hard for some to get a feel for these things from a distance.

At the same time, we recognize that not all applicants want or need to visit programs, even when they are interested, and not all applicants have the means or the opportunity to do so.

We want to assure you that whether you visit in-person or not will have absolutely no bearing on our feelings about you as an applicant or on your position on our rank order list. Our rank order list will be developed and submitted based on the characteristics and qualities we learn from your application and your interview. Only after this list is submitted on FEBRUARY 28, 2024 will we allow applicants to come for an in-person visit. Please note that our list will not be changeable once submitted. We will not infer any special interest if you visit our program in-person nor will we infer any less interest if you do not. You may arrange your visit with our program coordinator or residency recruitment chair after February 28, 2024 if desired.

Wishing all of you a constructive Match season.