Orthopedics. 2020 Nov 1;43(6):e616-e622. doi: 10.3928/01477447-20200910-03. Epub 2020 Sep 22.
Due to electronic residency applications, US Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores are frequently used by orthopedic surgery program directors to screen applicants. Prospective applicants therefore often use Step 1 scores as a proxy for specialty competitiveness. The goal of this investigation was two-fold: (1) to determine whether trends in Step 1 scores are indicative of trends in competitiveness of orthopedic surgery and (2) to report the characteristics that optimize a US medical student's match success. A retrospective review of published National Resident Matching Program data from 2009 to 2018 was performed for orthopedic surgery residency applicants. Additional data from the Charting Outcomes reports were used for specific analyses of applicant characteristics. From 2009 to 2018, the number of orthopedic surgery residency positions grew at an annual rate of 1.51% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37% to 1.64%; P<.001), accommodating the 1.26% (95% CI, 0.63% to 1.90%; P=.006) annual increase in the number of applicants who ranked orthopedic surgery as their preferred specialty choice (only choice or first choice). There were no significant changes in the applicant-to-position ratio (95% CI, -0.85% to 0.37%; P=.483) or the match rate for US seniors who ranked orthopedic surgery as their preferred choice (95% CI, -0.23% to 0.87%; P=.313). Increases in mean Step 1 scores of matched orthopedic surgery applicants parallel national Step 1 growth trends (0.49% vs 0.44%, respectively). Although orthopedic surgery is currently a competitive specialty to match into, this has been the case since 2009. Increasing Step 1 scores of matched applicants is not unique to orthopedic surgery and should not be misinterpreted as a proxy for increasing competitiveness of the specialty. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(6):e616-e622.].
由于电子住院医师申请的存在，美国医师执照考试（USMLE）第 1 步成绩经常被骨科住院医师项目主任用来筛选申请人。因此，潜在申请人经常将第 1 步成绩用作专业竞争力的代表。本研究的目的有两个：（1）确定第 1 步成绩的趋势是否表明骨科手术的竞争力趋势；（2）报告优化美国医学生匹配成功率的特征。对 2009 年至 2018 年公布的国家住院医师匹配计划（NRMP）数据进行了回顾性审查，以评估骨科住院医师申请人。使用 Charting Outcomes 报告中的其他数据对申请人特征进行了具体分析。2009 年至 2018 年，骨科住院医师职位数量以每年 1.51%的速度增长（95%置信区间[CI]，1.37%至 1.64%；P<.001），适应了申请人数量每年 1.26%的增长（95%CI，0.63%至 1.90%；P=.006），这些申请人将骨科列为首选专业选择（仅选择或首选）。申请人与职位的比例（95%CI，-0.85%至 0.37%；P=.483）或将骨科列为首选的美国高年级学生的匹配率（95%CI，-0.23%至 0.87%；P=.313）均无显著变化。匹配的骨科住院医师申请人的平均第 1 步成绩增长与全国第 1 步成绩增长趋势平行（分别为 0.49%和 0.44%）。尽管目前骨科手术是一个具有竞争力的专业，但这种情况自 2009 年以来一直存在。匹配申请人的第 1 步成绩提高并不是骨科手术所独有的，不应被误解为专业竞争力提高的代表。[骨科。2020;43(6):e616-e622.。]
