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Pediatric Neurosurgery Fellowship Match

The Accreditation Council for Pediatric Neurosurgical Fellowships (“ACPNF”) was founded in 1992 to regulate and accredit Pediatric Neurosurgical Fellowship training in the United States and Canada. The Fellowship Match for Neurosurgery was established in 1993 (”SFMP”) to coordinate fellowship appointments, assuring applicants for these positions that by participating in a computerized match process, they will not be forced into early decisions and that they will receive equal access to all accredited fellowship Programs. Participating programs have agreed to make fellowship appointments only through the match process, with the match itself usually taking place in late November or early December.

Sponsorship

The ACPNF sponsors the matching process for Pediatric Neurosurgical fellowships, and is responsible for enforcement of the applicable rules (see below). The Matching office itself (“SFMP”) does not sponsor or approve any of the participating programs, and its function is strictly limited to processing of the match. Listing or not listing of any program in the directory does not imply any form of approval, disapproval or endorsement. The ACPNF accredits each Pediatric Neurosurgical Fellowship Training Program, but the decision to be listed or not on the SFMP web site rests solely with each individual Fellowship Program Director.

About the Match

The Match takes place in late November or early December, and will be used to process all applicants for Pediatric Neurosurgical Fellowships who want to start their fellowship training in July of the following year. There is $50 non-refundable registration fee that covers registration and matching. To register for the Match, click on "Login/Register" button on the left-hand side menu. Once registered you will gain access to view the Program Directory and make your program selections. Visit the "Steps" page for more information.

There is no Centralized Application Service available for Fellowships. Applicants should contact each program individually for application materials and procedures.

Rules and Regulations

Fellowship Programs:

Must notify applicants of receipt of their application for fellowship training. The program administrator must remain available by e-mail or phone contact with the applicant to allow the applicant to access information regarding the status of his/her application.

Must extend invitations for interview or letters of rejection within 30 days of the receipt of the application.

Shall conduct a fair and deliberate interview process in which the applicant has opportunity to meet the faculty, the current fellow, and key clinical personnel, and to see the facilities where he or she will work and study during the fellowship year. Contact information (e-mail and telephone) for current and past fellows should also be provided, if requested.

Shall not initiate communication with the applicant after the interview to discuss the applicant’s position on the program’s match list, or to require a verbal commitment to rank the program number one on the applicant’s match list. Return visits should not be requested or required by any program. Programs may contact an applicant to emphasize the program’s interest in the applicant, or to respond to a candidate’s queries regarding additional information about the training program.

Shall not, prior to the match date, guarantee that the applicant will match at that program.

Shall contact the ACPNF with concerns about infractions affecting the integrity of the match process.

Shall comply with any other rules specified by the SFMP.

Fellowship Applicants:

Are responsible for the completion of their application packets, for scheduling of interviews and registration with the SFMP.

Should schedule interviews only for those programs in which the applicant has a serious interest. Last minute interview cancellations may prevent another candidate from having an opportunity for an interview and interfere substantially with the fellowship application process. If an interview needs to be cancelled it should be done at the earliest possible time and the applicant should insure that the program is aware via receipt of e-mail or telephone call to that effect.

Are not to inquire about their position in the rank list from any member of the training program faculty or staff or their agent.

Are not to request a faculty member of their training program to determine the applicant’s position on any particular program’s match list.

Agree not to seek simultaneous fellowship training in another Neurosurgical subspecialty.

Participation in the match process commits the fellowship applicant to complete the fellowship to which he/she matches. Applicants, program directors and institutional officials should report suspected violations of the matching process, anonymously if necessary, directly to the current ACPNF secretary or chairman, as listed on the ACPNF website (www.acpnf.org ). The ACPNF may annually survey participants of the match to assure compliance with these rules and regulations.

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We wish you a successful career in Pediatric Neurosurgery Fellowship.