Factors Considered in Ranking Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship Applicants: A Survey of Program Directors

Sandhu, Kevin P.; Simske, Natasha M.; Young, Patrick; Wilson, Nathaniel M.; Cannada, Lisa K.; Whiting, Paul S.

doi:10.5435/jaaosglobal-d-20-00180

Cited by 5 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…When comparing our findings to other studies evaluating fellowship selection criteria for orthopaedic subspecialties including orthopaedic trauma, spine, sports, and hip and knee arthroplasty, program directors from all five subspecialties identified the interview as the most important factor considered when ranking applicants and letters of recommendation as the second most important factor. [3][4][5][6] Our results also align with a survey of all orthopaedic subspecialty program directors administered in 2013 which identified the interview as the most important criteria used when ranking applicants and letters of recommendation as the most important criteria used when deciding to offer an applicant an interview invitation. 8 Interestingly, research experience was not very highly valued by pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship program directors, ranking as the 6 th most important criteria of the 12 included in our study.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…Program directors were then asked to evaluate 12 specific factors that might be considered in ranking fellowship applicants based on prior surveys of orthopaedic fellowship program directors. [3][4][5][6] These 12 criteria were displayed in a random order for each survey recipient. Randomization was automated by the online survey tool used to distribute the survey (Qualtrics, Provo, UT).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This scoring system is consistent with surveys of program directors from orthopaedic trauma, spine, sports medicine, and hip and knee arthroplasty subspecialties. [3][4][5][6]…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many previous studies have evaluated factors considered important by fellowship program directors during the application and interview process, including studies evaluating the importance of various selection criteria in other orthopaedic fellowships including trauma, spine, sports medicine, and hip and knee arthroplasty. [3][4][5][6] While these studies identified several similar criteria, such as the interview and letters of recommendation, as important factors used by program directors to rank applicants, the emphasis placed on some factors such as research experience, personal connections, and the applicant's residency program varied between orthopaedic subspecialties. [3][4][5][6] Furthermore, these studies were conducted prior to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has fundamentally altered the recruitment process and may therefore influence which factors are considered most important when ranking fellowship applicants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[3][4][5][6] While these studies identified several similar criteria, such as the interview and letters of recommendation, as important factors used by program directors to rank applicants, the emphasis placed on some factors such as research experience, personal connections, and the applicant's residency program varied between orthopaedic subspecialties. [3][4][5][6] Furthermore, these studies were conducted prior to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has fundamentally altered the recruitment process and may therefore influence which factors are considered most important when ranking fellowship applicants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Factors Considered in Ranking Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship Applicants

Cohen¹,

Shea²,

Imrie³

2022

Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America

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Background: Pediatric orthopaedic surgery is a competitive orthopaedic subspecialty that has seen a rise in the number of applications submitted per applicant over the past decade. Surveys of fellowship program directors in other orthopaedic subspecialties including orthopaedic trauma, spine, sports medicine, and hip and knee arthroplasty have demonstrated differing opinions regarding the factors considered most important when ranking applicants. The selection criteria considered most important by pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship program directors have not yet been evaluated. Methods: A web-based questionnaire was sent to the program directors of all pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship programs that participate in the San Francisco (SF) Match program. In addition to providing information about program size, number of applicants interviewed, and number of applicants ranked, program directors were presented with 12 selection criteria based on previous surveys of orthopaedic fellowship directors and were asked to rank them in order of importance. A weighted score for each selection criteria was calculated using the following scale: 5 points for each criterion ranked 1st, 4 points for 2nd, 3 points for 3rd, 2 points for 4th, and 1 point for 5th. The total weighted score of each criterion was calculated. Results: Of the 45 program directors that we contacted, 36 responded (80% response rate). A plurality of programs both interviewed and ranked between 16 and 20 applicants. The interview and letters of recommendation were the most important selection criteria according to program directors. Other selection criteria deemed important included the applicant’s residency program, personal connections, and life experience. Conclusions: Pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship program directors consider the interview, letters of recommendation, and the applicant’s residency program to be the most important factors when ranking fellowship candidates. These findings may be useful to orthopaedic residents interested in pursuing fellowship training in pediatric orthopaedic surgery by providing applicants with a better understanding of which areas to focus on when preparing for the fellowship interview and subsequent match process.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This scoring system is consistent with surveys of program directors from orthopaedic trauma, spine, sports medicine, and hip and knee arthroplasty subspecialties. [3][4][5][6]…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Factors Considered in Ranking Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship Applicants

Cohen¹,

Shea²,

Imrie³

2022

Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America

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Program and Faculty Reputation Are Valued Most by Applicants to Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowships

Geraghty¹,

Kraeutler²,

Clark³

et al. 2023

Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation

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Relative Importance of Applicant Characteristics in Ophthalmology Residency Interview Selection: A Survey of Program Directors

Cohen

Pershing

2022

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

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Introduction Ophthalmology residency positions remain competitive. A lack of clarity regarding which residency selection criteria are prioritized by program directors can heighten the stress associated with the match process. While surveys of program directors in several other medical specialties have been conducted to identify the most important residency selection criteria, there is limited data on selection criteria used by ophthalmology residency program directors. The purpose of our study was to survey ophthalmology residency program directors to identify the current state of interview selection decisions—the factors currently considered most important in determining whether to extend an interview invitation to residency applicants. Methods We developed and distributed a Web-based questionnaire to all U.S. ophthalmology residency program directors. Questions evaluated program demographics and the relative importance of 23 different selection criteria used by ophthalmology residency program directors when evaluating applicants for residency interviews (Likert scale 1–5, with 1 being “not important” and 5 being “very important”). Program directors were also asked to identify the one factor they felt was most important. Results The overall residency program director response rate was 56.5% (70/124). The selection criteria with the highest average importance scores were core clinical clerkship grades (4.26/5) followed by letters of recommendation (4.06/5), and United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 score (4.03/5). The most frequently cited single most important factor for interview selection was core clinical clerkship grades (18/70, 25.7%), with USMLE Step 1 score (9/70, 12.9%) and rotations at the program director's department (6/70, 8.6%) also commonly reported. Conclusion Our results suggest that core clinical clerkship grades, letters of recommendation, and USMLE Step 1 scores are deemed the most important selection criteria by ophthalmology residency program directors as of a 2021 survey. With changes in clerkship grading for many medical schools and changes in national USMLE Step 1 score reporting, programs will face challenges in evaluating applicants and the relative importance of other selection criteria will likely increase.

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Factors Considered in Ranking Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship Applicants: A Survey of Program Directors

Cited by 5 publications

References 11 publications

Factors Considered in Ranking Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship Applicants

Factors Considered in Ranking Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship Applicants

Program and Faculty Reputation Are Valued Most by Applicants to Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowships

Relative Importance of Applicant Characteristics in Ophthalmology Residency Interview Selection: A Survey of Program Directors

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