The departmental advisor's effect on medical students' confidence when the advisor evaluates or recruits for their own program during the match.

BACKGROUND: Departmental advisors who also serve on residency selection committees at their institutions have a dual role as advisor and evaluator of residency applicants. PURPOSE: This study explores this dual role and its effect on medical students' confidence in the advising relationship. METHODS: A secure, anonymous questionnaire was made available online to 1,362 graduating medical students from ten U.S. medical schools who participated in the 2001 match. RESULTS: Of the 740 respondents (54.3% response rate), 349 (47.2%) met with a departmental advisor at their medical school. Most (212 or 60.7%) had departmental advisors who also served on a residency selection committee. These applicants reported feeling significantly less comfortable with their advisors and were significantly more likely to make misleading statements during the match. CONCLUSIONS: Applicants whose departmental advisors serve on a residency selection committee have less confidence in the advising relationship. These interactions may have adverse effects on the clinical and professional development of medical students.

Communication between programs and applicants during residency selection: effects of the match on medical students' professional development.

PURPOSE: Communication between programs and applicants during the Match has raised concern among medical educators. This study explores the patterns of such communication and its effect on the ethical and professional development of medical students. METHOD: In March and April 2001, the authors made a secure, anonymous questionnaire available online to 1,362 medical students who were graduating from ten U.S. medical schools and who participated in the 2001 Match. Data analysis included chi square, ANOVA, and correlation tests as appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 740 students (54.3%) completed the questionnaire. Patterns of communication between programs and applicants varied significantly by medical school and specialty. Communication initiated by applicants came predominantly from those from less highly ranked medical schools (p =.000), and those applying to specialties with lower fill rates (p =.000). Programs initiated significantly more communication with applicants from more highly ranked schools (p =.006), and with those applying to specialties with higher fill rates (p =.000). The amount of pressure felt by applicants was related to the level of communication, whether initiated by applicants (p =.028) or programs (p =.000). Applicants who felt more pressure were significantly more likely to make misleading statements to programs (p =.000). CONCLUSIONS: Communication between applicants and programs during the Match varies and may have adverse effects on the ethical and professional development of medical students. This study provides support for proposals to limit communication between programs and applicants during the residency selection process.

Trimethoprim-induced aseptic meningitis in an adolescent male.

Drug-induced aseptic meningitis attributable to trimethoprim alone has only rarely been documented in the literature. A previously healthy adolescent male presented to our hospital with recurrent headaches, photophobia, and meningismus after serially starting and stopping trimethoprim. Cerebrospinal fluid studies revealed elevated white blood cell counts with a polymorphonuclear predominance. This case is the second documented report of trimethoprim-induced aseptic meningitis in a pediatric patient.