How should unmatched otolaryngology applicants proceed?

Abstract

N/A.

Routes to Residency: A National Survey Demonstrating the Pathways to Become a Plastic Surgeon

“…Studies of applicant characteristics between matched and unmatched applicants in competitive fields such as orthopedic surgery, 4,6,16 ophthalmology, 17 dermatology, 18,19 neurosurgery, 20 otolarygnology, 5,6,21 and obstetrics and gynecology fellowships 22 have either focused on specific applicant factors that were associated with matching or discussed immediate postgraduation strategies. Few have discussed the long-term outcomes of unmatched applicants or offered guidance on how unmatched applicants should proceed.…”

“…I would advise students or residents interested in PRS to do whatever they need to for themselves and not worry about the "right" way or the "best" way -as long as it aligns with their personal and professional goals. Some of my favorite residents and attendings are "nontraditional" in some way -and I very much appreciate the diverse perspectives that they each bring to our teams Proindependent pathway (5) I hope the independent track never goes away and continues to provide a pathway into PRS for those without early exposure or interest…”

“…Prior studies have investigated the topic of reapplication in other competitive surgical specialties, such as cardiothoracic (CT) surgery, orthopedic surgery, and otolaryngology. [3][4][5] One study surveyed 250 CT residents, and based on their responses and NRMP data, the authors estimated that only 14% of unmatched CT applicants ended up in independent CT fellowships, implying that they lost interest in the field after their unsuccessful match attempt. 3 In the orthopedic literature, Amin et al 6 surveyed 91 orthopedic program directors and chairpersons about their approach to evaluating reapplicants.…”

“…Specifically, by working hard on away rotations and subinternships at my home institution, I demonstrated these characteristics which led to strong recommendation letters and, when combined with my application, led me to multiple interviews and then a match. I think people stress out about PRS being "impossible" to match into when in fact it takes diligence, decent-strong test scores, and most importantly showing up and working hard Early involvement in PRS(8) Coming from a small medical school, it was very beneficial to know going into medical school that [I was interested in] PRS, find mentors right away, and become a part of the PRS group there Nonmedical achievements(5) I would strongly recommend pursuing additional interests rather than rushing from college, medical school, and into residency with no pauses to enjoy/pursue other interests. Each unique experience only helps your ability to care for patients in the future…”

Ideas and Innovations to Improve the Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Residency Application and Selection Process

“…1,6,27,29,55,58 The main catalysts for many of the aforementioned proposals have been to control the rising OTO-HNS applicant volume to relieve the difficulties high-applicant volumes create for programs 12,13,38 and discourage students from broadly applying to programs simply to potentially increase their matching chances—which obscures the programs’ abilities to discern true interest among applicants. 1,6 Moreover, as more than half of OTO-HNS programs use USMLE scores as a screening tool, 41 the recently announced change of the USMLE Step 1 examination to pass/fail scoring furthers the need for residency selection reform. 69,70 Additional reasons supporting the need for process reform include curtailing the massive application cycle costs incurred by applicants, 3,37 increasing the understanding of which applicant characteristics are best correlated with an ideal resident, 8 and ultimately ensuring the highest quality of future otolaryngologists to lead the specialty.…”