Society of Surgical Oncology Common Match FAQs
2009 SSO Surgical Oncology/HPB Fellowship Common Match Program
Frequently Asked Questions for Applicants
1. Programs Involved in the Match Program.
2. Initial Application – Applying to both SSO-approved Surgical Oncology and Fellowship Council Accredited HPB Programs.
3. Initial Application – Applying to SSO-approved Surgical Oncology Programs.
4. Initial Application – Applying to Fellowship Council Accredited HPB Programs.
5. Initial Application – Attached Documents.
6. Interviews.
7. Fees.
8. Deadline Date for Receiving Match Program Application and Fees.
9. Credit Card Payment.
10. Fax Transmissions.
11. Mailing Address.
12. Notification of Match Outcomes.
13. Institution Requirements.
14. Unmatched Applicants.
15. Contact Information.
1. Programs Involved in the Match Program.
Question:
How many Fellowship Training Programs are represented in the SSO Surgical Oncology/HPB Fellowship Common Match Program?
Answer:
There are 19 SSO-approved Surgical Oncology Fellowship Training programs involved in the 2009 Match Program. Programs numbered 1-19 on the Match Program Application are SSO-approved Surgical Oncology Fellowship Training Programs.
There are 12 Fellowship Council accredited HPB programs involved in the 2009 Match Program. Programs numbered 40-51 on the Match Application are Fellowship Council accredited HPB programs.
2. Initial Application – Applying to both SSO-approved Surgical Oncology and Fellowship Council Accredited HPB Programs
Question:
Do I have to submit an initial application to both The Fellowship Council and the Society of Surgical Oncology if I want to participate in the 2009 Common Match Program and apply for a Fellowship Council accredited HPB Program and SSO-approved Surgical Oncology Program Fellowship?
Answer:
Yes. The deadline date for doing this was July 22, 2009.
3. Initial Application – Applying to SSO-approved Surgical Oncology Programs
Question:
Do I have to submit an initial SSO General Surgical Oncology Fellowship Application to the Society of Surgical Oncology if I want to participate in the 2009 Common Match Program and apply for an SSO-approved Surgical Oncology Program Fellowship?
Answer:
Yes. The deadline date for doing this was July 22, 2009.
4. Initial Application – Applying to Fellowship Council Accredited HPB Programs
Question:
Do I have to submit an initial application to The Fellowship Council or the AHPBA if I want to participate in the 2009 Common Match Program and apply for a Fellowship Council accredited HPB Program Fellowship?
Answer:
Yes. The deadline date for doing this was July 22, 2009.
5. Initial Application – Attached Documents
Question:
Do I need to send the Society of Surgical Oncology a copy of my reference letters, CV, and photo? Or, do they just need a photocopy of my SSO General Surgical Oncology Fellowship Application?
Answer:
The Society of Surgical Oncology only needs a photocopy of your SSO General Surgical Oncology Fellowship Application.
6. Interviews
Question:
May I only rank those institutions where I have interviewed on the Match Application Form?
Answer:
Yes. An applicant is not selected by an institution until they have gone through the application and interview process.
7. Fees
Question:
What is the registration fee that I pay the Society of Surgical Oncology for participating in the Common Match?
Answer:
The registration fee is $75 (US dollars).
8. Deadline Date for Receiving Match Program Application and Fees
Question:
When do I need to get my form and fees into the Society of Surgical Oncology office?
Answer:
The deadline for the Society of Surgical Oncology to receive your $75 (US dollars) application fee and Match Program Application via overnight delivery or certified mail is September 22, 2009.
9. Credit Card Payment
Question:
Does the Society of Surgical Oncology accept credit card payments?
Answer:
Yes, we do. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. If you wish to pay via credit card, please be sure to include the purpose of your payment – Common Match Fee, credit card number, expiration date, and the authorized signature. Please print the authorized cardholder’s name as well. For security purposes, it is best to contact our office directly to pay via this method. See contact information below.
10. Fax Transmissions
Question:
May I fax my Match Program Application to the Society of Surgical Oncology?
Answer:
No fax transmittals of the Match Program Application will be accepted.
11. Mailing Address
Question:
Where do I send my Match Program Application and fees?
Answer:
Society of Surgical Oncology
85 W. Algonquin Road, Suite 550
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Phone: (847) 427-1400
12. Notification of Match Outcomes
Question:
When will I be notified that I have or have not matched with a program?
Answer:
You will be notified via e-mail on October 19, 2009. Please include your correct e-mail address on the Match Program Application.
Please note the Society of Surgical Oncology will e-mail you and let you know if you did or did not match with a program.
13. Institution Requirements
Question:
What happens if, after matching with a program, I don’t meet all of its fellowship requirements?
Answer:
It is the responsibility of the individual applicant to meet any and all requirements for fellowship enrollment at the matching institution. Failure to do so constitutes a basis for a training program to decline a match. SSO has no obligations in the event of an applicant’s failure to meet program requirements.
14. Unmatched Applicants
Question:
What happens if I don’t match with a program? What are my options?
Answer:
All Program Directors are given a listing of unmatched applicants after all matched and unmatched applicants have been notified whether they match or not on October 19th. If you would like a contact list for those programs that did not find a match through the Common Match Program, please contact Karen L. Oster, SSO’s Director of Training Programs. See her contact information below.
15. Contact Information
Question:
I have questions on the Common Match and I don’t see the answers here. Who should I contact for help?
Answer:
Please contact Karen L. Oster, SSO's Director of Training Programs, at karenoster@surgonc.org or 847/427-1400.
(8/13/2009)