Hurdles in Diversifying Otolaryngology: A Survey of Medical Students

Johnson, Bria C.; Hayden, Jamil; Jackson, J.O.; Harley, Randall J.; Harley, Earl H.

doi:10.1177/01945998221076835

Cited by 15 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Similar trends are also seen outside the surgical residency programs, with a 9.1% increase in HP matches seen in dermatology in 2021 [ 14 ]. A recent survey identified that 25% of medical student respondents did not have an otolaryngology home program [ 15 ]. Future studies investigating match rates of applicants with and without a home program, within the context of COVID-19 and its constraints, would be beneficial to further characterize the overall impact of COVID-19.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 and the Otolaryngology Match: An Increase in Applicants Remaining Close to Home

Whisonant¹,

Shahriari²,

McDonald³

et al. 2022

Cureus

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Introduction: Otolaryngology residency remains one of the most competitive surgical subspecialties to apply for with a 63% match rate in 2021. This is a difficult and stressful process for applicants in any given year, and it was even further complicated by restrictions mandated by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) protections. Analyzing geographical trends in successfully matched applicants provides prospective applicants and programs with helpful information about how previous trends were affected by the pandemic as we look toward future match cycles. Methods: The medical schools of 1,587 successfully matched applicants from 2017-2021 were identified and compared to the 116 otolaryngology residency programs. Successful applicants’ medical school state and region were then compared to the location of their matched residency program state and region. From this, we evaluated the number of applicants matching at the residency program affiliated with their medical school or at a residency program within the same state or region as their home medical school. Results: A significant increase in the percentage of applicants matching at their home program and within their home state (p < 0.001) occurred in 2021 when compared to previous years. Applicants matching within their home region was not found to increase significantly (p = 0.43) in 2021 compared to previously. The regions with the greatest increase in the percentage of applicants matching to their home programs were the Northeast and Midwest (12% increase), while the Midwest had the largest increase in percentage of applicants matching within their home state (15%). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the otolaryngology match in 2021 with applicants and programs alike choosing to stay closer to home with their residency match selections. Overall, regional location remains a major determinant of future residency location for otolaryngology applicants, and this did not change significantly during 2021, but applicants matched more frequently at their home medical school program. It is anticipated that the match process will be similar in 2022 given the ongoing pandemic, so the importance of home program and region will likely be emphasized again.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 and the Otolaryngology Match: An Increase in Applicants Remaining Close to Home

Whisonant¹,

Shahriari²,

McDonald³

et al. 2022

Cureus

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“…Reducing this cost may help with the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce that is better able care for an increasingly diverse patient population. 6 , 7 There is valid concern that the high costs of residency application may serve as a barrier for students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds who are more frequently from marginalized communities. 8 In one survey of otolaryngology applicants, 28% reported that they had insufficient funds for the residency application process.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The high cost of the residency application cycle is important in the context of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the field of otolaryngology. Reducing this cost may help with the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce that is better able care for an increasingly diverse patient population 6,7 . There is valid concern that the high costs of residency application may serve as a barrier for students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds who are more frequently from marginalized communities 8 .…”

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confidence: 99%

Cost of the Otolaryngology Residency Application Process: Comparison With Other Specialties and Equity Implications

et al. 2022

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Objective This study aims to assess trends in applicant-reported costs of the otolaryngology residency application process between 2019 and 2021 and evaluate the impact of application costs on number of interview offers. Study Design Cross-sectional study. Setting US allopathic and osteopathic medical schools. Methods Survey data from applicants were obtained from the Texas STAR database (Seeking Transparency in Application to Residency) for the years 2019 to 2021. Outcomes included total cost, interview cost, other costs, application fees, and number of interview offers. Simple and multivariable linear regression was used to identify novel predictors of cost and assess the correlation between cost and interview offers. Results Among 363 otolaryngology applicants, there was a 74% reduction in total costs and a 97% reduction in interview costs in the 2021 cycle vs the 2020 cycle. Significant predictors of total cost among otolaryngology applicants included the number of away rotations ( P < .01), the number of research experiences ( P = .04), and couples matching ( P < .01). During the 2019 and 2020 application cycles, there was a significant association between applicant-reported total spending and number of otolaryngology interview offers ( P < .01), which was not present during the 2021 cycle ( P = .35). Conclusion Number of otolaryngology interview offers appears to be directly correlated with applicant-reported total costs regardless of number of applications or interviews attended, which may be a source of inequality in the application process. There was a drastic reduction in total costs, interview costs, and other costs during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was likely driven by virtual interviewing and the absence of away rotations.

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“…Most respondents were Black (86.5%) and female (70.2%), and 72.1% did not have a physician relative 1 . In addition, a little over half of the respondents had considered an otolaryngology career, and less than two‐thirds were still interested at the time of the survey 1 . The response rate is commendable given that the survey was sent out during the COVID‐19 pandemic.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The authors identified multiple challenges, including the highly competitive nature of otolaryngology, which they measured using a proxy (ie, the Step 1 score) 1 . Although Step 1 is now pass/fail, program directors will need new measures to narrow the pool of applicants, and we can reasonably expect that new measures will be just as competitive.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Hurdles in Diversifying Otolaryngology: A Survey of Medical Students

Djoutsop

2022

Otolaryngol.--head neck surg.

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Johnson et al 1 surveyed 104 medical students at 36 US schools to identify the determinants of specialty choice. Their study has numerous merits. First, the authors meticulously evaluated the participants' interest in otolaryngology, their socioeconomic background, and the push-and-pull factors regarding an otolaryngology career. 1 Next, they successfully captured underrepresented medical students. Most respondents were Black (86.5%) and female (70.2%), and 72.1% did not have a physician relative. 1 In addition, a little over half of the respondents had considered an otolaryngology career, and less than two-thirds were still interested at the time of the survey. 1 The response rate is commendable given that the survey was sent out during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is evidence that response rates dropped significantly during this period because respondents were saturated with survey requests. 2 The authors identified multiple challenges, including the highly competitive nature of otolaryngology, which they measured using a proxy (ie, the Step 1 score). 1 Although Step 1 is now pass/fail, program directors will need new measures to narrow the pool of applicants, and we can reasonably expect that new measures will be just as competitive. In general, otolaryngology programs screen applications holistically considering other factors, such as Step 2, subinternship experience, research experience, AOA status (Alpha Omega Alpha), Gold Humanism awards, medical school ranking, and letters of recommendation. Hence, program directors must emphasize this when interacting with underrepresented students who are less likely to have mentors. 1 In addition, faculty should consider reaching out to underrepresented students at their home programs as early as MS1 (first-year medical school) to build a watertight pipeline into the specialty.

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Hurdles in Diversifying Otolaryngology: A Survey of Medical Students

Cited by 15 publications

References 7 publications

COVID-19 and the Otolaryngology Match: An Increase in Applicants Remaining Close to Home

COVID-19 and the Otolaryngology Match: An Increase in Applicants Remaining Close to Home

Cost of the Otolaryngology Residency Application Process: Comparison With Other Specialties and Equity Implications

Hurdles in Diversifying Otolaryngology: A Survey of Medical Students

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