Viewpoint
Mar 2000
- On March 13, 2000, more than 26,000 US and international medical school graduates will participate in "March Match Madness," which is better known as the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
- The NRMP handbook states:
There is one cardinal rule that both programs and applicants must observe: neither must ask the other to make a commitment as to how one will be ranked before the match ... references to how one will be ranked should be avoided and definitely should not be solicited.
Despite that, results of a recent survey about the Match program revealed that students "perceive that programs are making 'informal' commitments (43%), lying to them (33%), and encouraging their unethical behavior in order to match (21%)" [1].
- The March Madness lineup of 64 Division I NCAA men's basketball teams will be announced March 12 at 6:30 pm EST. The Final Four will be contested at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Ind. According to the NCAA, the most commonly chosen educational majors for Division I student athletes were the following: (1) Business Management/Administration, (2) Social Sciences, (3) Education, (4) Sports Management/Exercise Science, and (5) Psychology.
- The phrase "beware the ides of March" originated during Roman times. According to the ancient Roman calendar, the ides occur on the 15th day of March, May, July, and October or the 13th day of any other month. March 15 marks the day when Julius Caesar was murdered at the Pompey theatre by his friend and statesman, Brutus. The foundations of the theatre survive today, but it is home to the modern Roman restaurant Da Pamcrazio.
References
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Anderson KD, Jacobs DM, Blue AV. Is match ethics an oxymoron? Am J Surg. 1999;177(3):237-239.
