Tales from the residency interview trail

Abstract

The authors discuss two ethical problems encountered by applicants when applying for dermatology residency using the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). In the first scenario, a dermatology applicant is being pressured by a program director to reveal how she plans to rank individual programs. How should she respond? The authors discuss the NRMP’s communication policy and conclude that there is no ethically satisfying way to answer a program director’s questions about rank lists. The authors suggest that a change of NRMP policy to limit the communications that occur between applicants and program directors after the interview is the best way to combat this type of pressure. In the second scenario, a dermatology applicant is being asked about her marriage and her intention to have children during an interview for dermatology residency. The authors discuss what kinds of questions regarding marriage and family can and cannot be asked by interviewers according to federal statutes. They discuss ways an applicant could reply to the program director in this situation. The authors draw from classical medical ethics, the law, and their own experience researching the integrity of the dermatology match in order to discuss these two scenarios.