What if NRMP matched fellowship hospital closes?

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Moin

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Hello everyone,

Can anyone please help me out with a question I have. What if NRMP matched fellowship closes or hospital closes before you start your fellowship. Will NRMP has a responsibility to place you to another hospital for same fellowship or you are on your own start from scratch?

Please help
 
When every institution goes through the accreditation process they have to be able to answer a series of questions related to this. Your fellowship program will have guidelines on this related to what they do or do not do. You should just ask what the policy that is in place states. I don't think it would be the NRMP's responsibility as you stated in your question. Since you signed a contract with your institution. The responsibility would fall upon the sponsoring institution of your fellowship program.

The specific questions that they answer are the following:
Does the Sponsoring Institution have a written policy that addresses reduction in size or closure of a residency program or the entire institution?
Does the Closure/Reduction policy include that the Sponsoring Institution must inform the GMEC, the DIO, and the residents as soon as possible when it
intends to reduce the size or close either a program or the Sponsoring Institution?
Does the Closure/Reduction policy either allow residents currently enrolled to complete their education or assist residents to enroll in another program in
which they can continue their education?
 
This exact scenario actually occurred at St. Vincent's (New York) last year, when the hospital permanently closed it's doors. It unfortunately did so before the end of the academic year, so every current resident/fellow lost their job before the year was up. And of course, a large number of incoming residents and fellows lost their spots. I know a few of the people who ended up in this position.

If you are a current fellow/resident, then the program has some obligation to help you out. If you haven't started yet, you're sort of on your own. In reality, the hospital tried to help people find spots (usually successfully), but if a program has closed down, they probably don't have the resources to help too much. A better resource is your current program, which can help more.

You're in a better position if you've already started fellowship, as you can transfer to another program with greater ease. They are allowed to take people above their allotted slots (which happened to all of residents affected by Hurricane Katrina), so if a program likes you, they can take you. If you haven't started yet, it's more difficult for a program to find a spot for you. If your fellowship is in something competitive (say, Cardiology), then it makes matters difficult.

I wouldn't recommend worrying too much about this. The likelihood of this happening is relatively low.

Cheers!
 
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