Matching Program for Appointment to Residency Training in Neurological Surgery in United States

Abstract

In the late 1920’s, the American Medical Association evolved a process of identifying and approving postgraduate medical education in the United States. The first record of formal residency training in neurological surgery appeared in the AMA Directory in September, 1933, offering one position at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. Over the subsequent years and particularly after World War II, residency training programs were developed throughout the country, with a peak number of 194 by 1965, 55 of which were not affiliated with a medical school and provided little more than a personal preceptorship with the director. At this time, a Residency Review Committee was established to review training pro-grams and to set minimum standards for accreditation. By 1983, the number of programs was reduced to 94, offering about 130 first year positions each year for a term of five or more years of tightly structured residency training. Appointments were made individually by each program director, sometimes years in advance for outstanding candidates, but each year some positions would be unfilled and directors would complain about the scarcity of qualified applicants.