For nearly 25 years, one of SSO’s primary business functions has been to manage the SSO Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship Match program and from the beginning, the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) has been a partner in the process. In the last ten years, the number of fellowship applications has more than doubled while the number of programs and available positions has steadily grown. In 2019, 102 applications were received for 74 positions at 53 programs. The chart below shows data from the last ten years.
The various activities in maintaining the fellowship program are numerous and is heavily dependent on the SSO Training Committee. This committee is comprised of 24 members and includes a member of the ASBrS. This group is responsible for overseeing the development of the curriculum and approving programs. SSO and ASBrS representatives conduct yearly site visits and provide reports back to the Training Committee for review.
SSO manages the match process through an online application that allows applicants and programs to rank preferences and through a standard software algorithm, potential fellows are matched to programs. Over the years, SSO has made yearly enhancements to the online match process so that it is efficient and easy. The application for 2020 will open in January.
Sarah McLaughlin, MD, Training Committee Chair said, “One of the goals of the Training Committee is to ensure that the curriculum encompasses the most current and relevant clinical practices and ensuring that each program site meets the challenges of preparing trainees for the future. ASBrS has been a valuable partner to ensure that this happens.”