AANA and AOSSM joined efforts to establish a Match beginning in 2008. The inaugural year of the Match was very successful and both societies continue to improve the Match process for upcoming years. AANA & AOSSM will again be utilizing the San Francisco Matching Services (SF Match) to administer the Match. SF Match will electronically distribute fellowship application through the Central Application Service (CAS). Applicants interested in applying to the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Match should register with SF Match and obtain and complete the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Match CAS application. All applications must be submitted to SF Match to distribute to fellowship programs. Applications sent directly to fellowship programs will not be accepted.

Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Programs are eligible to participate in the Match if they are ACGME Accredited, Accredited by the Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA), AANA recognized fellowship or have submitted an application to the ACGME prior to August 15, 2009. Unaccredited programs are clearly designated in the Participating Programs listing and on the San Francisco Match Web site. Unaccredited programs DO NOT qualify for sub specialty certification in sports medicine through the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Programs listed on the AOSSM Web site are the programs that have agreed to participate in the Match. Military programs are handled through the Military Match and are not listed on our site.

Fellowship Programs and Applicants will utilize the SF Match system to submit their application, receive applications and rank programs/applicants and receive Match results.

Applicants who wish to participate in the match will register directly with the SF Match.

The SF Match site can be viewed by clicking here: www.sfmatch.org

The SF Match Central Application Service (CAS) can be accessed by clicking here: http://sfmatch.org/fellowship/f_sports/index.htm

To view the 2009 Orthopaedic Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Match Agreement click here.

Both programs and Applicants commit to remain in the match program for the duration of the Match cycle. Please refer to the Agreement regarding specific penalties for Programs and Applicants.

It is particularly important that resident applicants, program directors and faculty, as well as residency directors and faculty fully understand the match process and policies.

Applicants, program directors and coordinators have expressed renewed appreciation and confidence in the Match because of the way the program actually worked last year. Several changes were made to the program based on feedback we received, the most of which involves the issue of communication. The Fellowship Match Committee will be closely monitoring communication this year, and we ask that you assist us by strictly adhering to the communication policies in order to insure the integrity of the match process.

Statement on Communication

The Fellowship Match Committee has been charged with overseeing the match process and has developed the following policies regarding communications between fellowship programs and applicants:

The committee assumes that everyone involved will behave in a manner which strictly preserves the integrity of the blind match process. No conversations or communications between applicants and fellowship programs, directly, or indirectly through others, should occur which might be construed as compromising the blind ranking process by the applicants or the programs. Overall fairness can be insured if everyone avoids conveying their intention throughout the process, by any method, directly or indirectly.

From Appendix A of Match Agreement signed by all participating programs:

• 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 SFM Rank List is at all dependent upon the Applicant’s relative level of interest in the Program’s Fellowship. No verbal or written communication between the program and applicants is binding.

• Post Interview Communication: Programs should not communicate (verbally, in writing, or through other individuals) with applicants and they should not request that applicants communicate with them. Communication between fellowship programs and an applicant’s residency program, colleague or letter writer can occur if performing due diligence regarding a particular candidate. Conversations may not include any discussion about rank order or intention to rank from either party. Throughout the process, and regardless of any circumstances of the communications between the fellowship program and the candidate, including any interested parties on either side, the integrity of the blind match process must be protected.

• The Fellowship Match Committee is charged with monitoring and assuring compliance with the Match process. The Fellowship Match Committee will monitor communications between fellowship programs and residency programs to ensure the communication is only related to due diligence and not to undermine the integrity of the match process.

• Thank you letters from applicants to program are discouraged. Programs are prohibited from sending thank you letters to applicants.

2009/10 Match Timeline:
For training beginning August 1, 2011

July 15 – August 15, 2009 - Programs to return signed Agreement and check $150 (payable to SF Match) to AOSSM without late fee.
Programs will register their program via Web link provided by AOSSM once their match agreement has been received and processed.

After August 15, 2009 - Late fee of $500 will be applied

September 1, 2009 – Registration opens for applicants on SF Match Web site. Applicants can register for match and download a copy of the CAS application. List of participating fellowship programs on SF Match Web site.

October 1, 2009 – Advertisements with the programs in AJSM, Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine Update.

December 1, 2009 - Application Deadline. All applications must be received by SF Match to be distributed to fellowship programs.

January 1, 2010 – Sports Medicine/Arthroscopy Interviews Begin

March 26, 2010 – Rank List Due to SF Match Offices from both programs and applicants

Monday, April 12, 2010 – Programs notified if they filled.
Applicants notified if they did/did not match

Tuesday, April 13, 2010 - Match Day