Introducing the National Headache Fellowship Opportunities Website.

OBJECTIVE: To build a national Headache Medicine fellowship opportunities website that promotes a unified application timeline and a more transparent application process. BACKGROUND: In July 2019, the Consortium of Academic Headache Program Directors unanimously accepted the recommendations of the American Academy of Neurology Fellowship Application Timing Position Statement. To implement the unified application timeline, the American Headache Society agreed to host a fellowship opportunities website with information on the application process and resources for each fellowship program. METHODS: We designed a main landing page that features the unified timeline for applications and offers. The page also features icons for all participating US fellowship programs (identified using the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties certification database). The icons serve as links to each fellowship program's individual webpage. We sent an electronic form to each fellowship program director, asking them to submit program information to be included on each fellowship program's individual webpage. Key contents on each program webpage include an image of the program, brief program description, names of applicants who have filled positions, and open positions. Each institution webpage also includes an electronic form that allows applicants to directly send their name, contact, and a brief message to the program director. RESULTS: We launched the website on May 15, 2020. As of June 19, 2020, the website featured 24 participating headache fellowship programs, including 5 pediatric programs and 19 adult training programs, from all regions of the US. CONCLUSION: The website serves as a central resource for Headache Medicine fellowship applicants and promotes a unified application timeline and a more transparent application process.

The state of the headache fellowship application process and attitudes toward the match.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the current headache medicine fellowship application process and to propose recommendations for a more unified, systematic, and transparent process. METHODS: We identified 42 headache fellowship programs using the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties certification database. After an initial contact via e-mail, we conducted individual telephone interviews with program directors. Qualitative data coding allowed identification of emerging themes. Quantitative data were summarized with descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Forty (95%) program directors (34 adult, 6 pediatric) responded. Emerging themes included the following. (1) There are benefits and disadvantages to having a match. (2) If the match were reinstated, programs would participate only if all programs participated. (3) There should be consequences for programs that do not participate. If the match were reinstated, 37.5% of program directors responded that their program would participate without conditions; 37.5% would participate only if every program were required to participate. Fifteen percent would not participate, and 10% were not sure if they would participate. Forty percent supported sanctions against programs that did not participate in the match. CONCLUSION: The fellowship match potentially makes the process more systematic for both programs and applicants; however, it does not currently appear to be a feasible option for the field of headache medicine. Until the number of applicants exceeds the number of programs, we recommend instituting a universal timeline for applications and offers.