GURS Fellowship Match Policy

• Section 1 — Purpose and Authority
• Section 2 — Requirements for Participating Programs
• Section 3 — Requirements for Applicants
• Section 4 — Interview Policy
• Section 5 — Prohibited Communications
• Section 6 — Match Violations and Adjudication
• Section 7 — Transparency and Education
• Section 8 — Policy Amendments

Section 1 — Purpose and Authority

The Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgery Society (GURS) establishes and enforces the
standards governing the GURS Fellowship Match.

The American Urological Association (AUA) administers the Match algorithm; however:

• GURS designs all rules and policies governing Match participation,
• GURS is solely responsible for investigating Match violations, and
• GURS determines and enforces all sanctions for both programs and applicants.

This policy has been formally reviewed, voted upon, and approved by both the GURS Fellowship Committee and the GURS Board of Directors.

Participation in the GURS Fellowship Match constitutes binding acceptance of this policy.

Section 2 — Requirements for Participating Programs

Programs registering in the Match shall:

1. Maintain a safe, respectful, and nondiscriminatory learning environment.
2. Provide appropriate surgical supervision and high-quality reconstructive urology
   training.
3. Ensure sufficient reconstructive case volume, including required urethroplasty
   minimums.
4. Offer comprehensive education including research, teaching, and academic
   engagement.
5. Provide fellows with regular formative and summative evaluations.
6. Support fellows’ attendance at educational seminars and conferences.
7. Provide a formal mechanism for addressing grievances or concerns.
8. Submit accurate and timely documentation (case logs, annual summaries, etc.).
9. Comply fully with all Match rules, including interview regulations and communication
   restrictions.

Section 3 — Requirements for Applicants

Applicants accept the terms of the GURS Fellowship Match at the time of registration, and such
acceptance is binding throughout the Match cycle.

Applicants shall:

1. Acceptance of Match Terms at Registration

By registering, applicants agree that they:

• Are bound by all GURS rules and professionalism standards.
• Shall not accept any fellowship offer from any GURS-participating program
  while registered in the Match, whether verbal, written, formal, or informal.
• Shall not solicit or negotiate out-of-match positions with any GURS program
  during the Match.
• Understand that accepting such an offer constitutes a Match violation.

2. Honor the Match Process

Applicants shall not:

• Seek or encourage out-of-match arrangements.
• Withdraw from the Match to accept a fellowship outside the Match except
  under AUA-approved exceptional circumstances.
• Request that a program violate GURS Match rules.

3. Honor the Match Results

After Match results are released:

• Applicants must accept the fellowship position to which they matched.
• Once an applicant accepts their matched position, they may not accept any other offer from a GURS-participating program.
• Applicants must proceed with onboarding and training in good faith.

4. Professional Conduct

Applicants shall maintain professionalism in all communications and interactions.

5. Accuracy and Truthfulness

All submitted materials and statements must be accurate, complete, and truthful.

Section 4 — Interview Policy

The interview process is essential for evaluating mutual fit between applicants and programs.

GURS defines the following rules:

4.1 The Formal Interview (Only One Per Applicant Per Program)

1. Each program may conduct only one (1) formal interview with each applicant.
This is the sole interview recognized for evaluative purposes under the GURS Match.

2. Programs have full discretion to conduct the formal interview:

• Virtually, or
• In-person at the program, or
• In-person at the AUA Annual Meeting if and only if no prior formal interview
  has occurred.

3. GURS does not regulate interview modality, venue, or structure.

4. Programs must clearly identify to the applicant which interaction constitutes the formal
interview.

4.2 Additional Interactions (“Second Looks”) Are Strictly Voluntary

Any interaction beyond the single formal interview — including virtual follow-ups, in-person
visits, second looks, faculty meetings, facility tours, or social gatherings — is:

• Strictly voluntary, and
• Must not influence an applicant’s ranking.

Programs shall not:

• Imply that second looks are expected or advantageous.
• Pressure applicants to attend additional interactions.
• Penalize applicants for declining voluntary interactions.

Any perceived coercion may constitute a Match violation.

4.3 AUA Annual Meeting Rules

4.3.1 AUA Meeting as the Only Formal Interview (Permitted)

A program may conduct its sole formal interview at the AUA Annual Meeting if no prior formal
interview has occurred.

This is fully permitted and not a violation.

4.3.2 AUA Meeting After a Prior Formal Interview (Regulated)

If a formal interview has already occurred, the AUA meeting is considered an optional
additional interaction, and therefore:

• Must be entirely voluntary,
• Must not be portrayed as evaluative, required, or advantageous, and
• Must not create any perception of ranking influence.
  Statements such as:
• “We need to see you again at AUA,”
• “Coming to AUA will help your chances,” or
• “We want to continue the evaluation at AUA,”
  are strictly prohibited and constitute Match violations.

4.3.3 Required Disclosure Whenever AUA Is Mentioned

Any program referencing the AUA Annual Meeting in communication with an applicant must
include the following statement:

“Attendance at the AUA Annual Meeting is voluntary and will not influence your ranking in
any way.”

Failure to include this disclosure may constitute a Match violation.

4.4 Professional Standards

All interviews and interactions must comply with:

• GURS professionalism standards,
• AUA Code of Ethics,
• Institutional nondiscrimination policies, and
• Applicable legal standards.

Section 5 — Prohibited Communications

To preserve fairness and integrity, the following communications are prohibited.

5.1 Program Prohibitions

Programs may not:

1. Ask applicants how they intend to rank programs.
2. Disclose how the program intends to rank an applicant.
3. Offer guaranteed ranking or placement.
4. Ask applicants to withdraw from the Match.
5. Offer or negotiate fellowship positions outside the Match before Match Day.
6. Suggest that attending additional interviews, visits, or AUA meetings will influence
ranking.
7. Use language that could be perceived as coercive or pressurizing.

5.2 Applicant Prohibitions

Applicants may not:

1. Ask programs how they intend to rank them.
2. Request or encourage programs to bypass the Match.
3. Negotiate with GURS programs for out-of-match positions during the Match.
4. Seek assurances of ranking or placement.

Section 6 — Match Violations and Adjudication

6.1 Reporting & Investigation

• Violations may be reported by applicants, programs, mentors, faculty, or third parties.
• The GURS Fellowship Committee investigates all allegations.
• The Committee aims to adjudicate within 45 days.
• Confirmed violations are forwarded to the GURS Executive Committee for disposition.

6.2 Sanctions for Program Violations

First Offense:

• Public posting of violation
• Removal from the Match for 1 cycle

Second Offense:

• Public posting with explanation
• Formal probation
• Removal from the Match for 2 cycles

Third Offense:

• Permanent removal from the GURS Fellowship Match
• Permanent loss of GURS fellowship program status

6.3 Sanctions for Applicant Violations

First Offense:

• Notification to residency program and/or employer
• Removal from the Match for 1 cycle

Second Offense:

• Referral to AUA Ethics Committee
• Removal from the Match for an additional year

Section 7 — Transparency and Education

GURS will:

1. Publish this policy and all participation agreements on the GURS website.
2. Maintain a dedicated Match Violations & Enforcement webpage.
3. Provide educational modules to programs and applicants before Match registration.
4. Publicly post all confirmed violations in accordance with this policy.

Section 8 — Policy Amendments

This policy may be amended by vote of the GURS Fellowship Committee and approved by the
GURS Board of Directors.

All amendments will be posted with their effective date.

END OF FINAL POLICY DOCUMENT

Approved by the GURS Fellowship Committee and the GURS Board of Directors

Contact (as of November 2025):

• GURS Fellowship Committee Chair – Jay Simhan, MD, FACS
• GURS Secretary – Dmitriy Nikolavsky, MD
• GURS President – Christopher Gonzalez, MD, FACS