For Programs

Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship Match Program

Along with other orthopaedic subspecialties, sports medicine participates in the single orthopaedic fellowship match, which is administered by SF Match. ​

Programs must be accredited by ACGME to participate in the Match and must abide by the AAOS Board of Specialties (BOS) Fellowship Committee Code of Conduct, Sports Medicine Match Agreement and SF Match Rules.

SF Match Timeline

The match opens in early August of each year, with Match Day the following April. Training begins on August 1 the following year. There is an annual SF Match membership fee of $225, paid by programs directly to SF Match. All program directors must also sign the Sports Medicine Match Agreement at the beginning of each match cycle.

Code of Conduct​

To preserve the integrity of the Match, it’s equally important for programs and applicants to follow the rules outlined in the Code of Conduct. Specifically:​

• Do not extend interviews prior to the universal interview date​.
• Do not, prior to the match, guarantee that an applicant will match at that program​.
• Do not contact applicants after the interview. Thank you notes are discouraged​.
• Do not communicate with applicants by mail, email or phone to inquire about or influence how the applicant will rank the program.​
• Do not communicate with faculty or others at the applicant’s current program regarding the applicant’s rank, or to provide feedback regarding the applicant’s status at the fellowship program after the interview​.

Interviews

AOSSM supports in-person interviews, with virtual interviews to be made available for extenuating circumstances such as health reasons, military commitment, etc. Interviews are scheduled based on regional windows. For programs where institutions have mandated virtual interviews, AOSSM leadership has written an endorsement letter that can be obtained by contacting Jenny Ramion at [email protected]. ​

• My pro­gram recent­ly received ACGME accred­i­ta­tion. How do I par­tic­i­pate in the Match?

  Please complete this form to notify AOSSM of your newly accredited status. Upon submission of the form, the AOSSM professional team will generate a profile for your program and notify SF Match of your program’s ability to participate in the Match.

• Should pro­grams and appli­cants dis­cuss rank­ing pref­er­ences pri­or to Match Day?

  No. The program shall not seek assurances from applicants as to an applicant’s intent to “rank” a program’s fellowship in a certain order, and shall similarly not state or imply in any way that the applicant’s position on the program’s rank list is at all dependent upon the applicant’s relative level of interest in the program. No verbal or written communication between the program and applicants is binding.

• What hap­pens if one or more of our posi­tions is not filled on Match Day?

  Positions that are unfilled through the Match are considered immediate vacancies and can be posted on the SF Match Vacancies webpage. There is no charge for this service. Unmatched applicants should initiate communication with programs about their vacancies. AOSSM cannot provide a list of unmatched applicants to programs.

• I want to start a sports med­i­cine fel­low­ship at my insti­tu­tion. What should I do?

  You should explore the ACGME website to understand the fundamental program requirements. The ACGME website offers detailed instructions on the application process. Also helpful is the specialty-specific accreditation resources. The Orthopaedic Surgery site provides program requirements specific to sports medicine and also shares ACGME contacts who can help guide you through the application process.

• How do I update my pro­gram infor­ma­tion on the AOSSM website?

  Please contact Jenny Ramion, Director of Resident and Fellow Engagement, at [email protected] with any update requests.