Sorenson Jacob C, Ryan Patrick M, Dennison Joel G, Ward Russell A, Fornfeist Douglas S
From the Baylor Scott and White Orthopaedic Surgery Residency, Temple, TX.
J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2025 Jan 15;33(2):51-55. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-24-00335. Epub 2024 Aug 30.
Orthopaedic surgery has consistently been one of the most competitive specialties in the US residency selection process. This is due in part to the steady upward trend in average applications received per program and average applications submitted per applicant, which is of growing concern. With the implementation of the Preference Signaling Program, the total number of applications has now dropped for the first time in many years, indicating signaling may improve the application process. The hypothesis is that signaling has led to a decrease in applications sent by applicants and a decrease in applications received by programs.
A 7-question survey regarding their interview and match statistics was sent to orthopaedic surgery residency programs that participated in the Electronic Residency Application Service during the 2023-2024 application cycle. A response from the program director/administrator was then recorded.
Our program search yielded 159 programs with 106 respondents (66.7%). 82 programs (78.8%) solely interviewed applicants who signaled their program. 92.7% of current interns signaled the program where they matched, and 88 programs (84.6%) matched only applicants who signaled. 95 programs (89.6%) revealed that implementing signaling has improved the application process.
Most of the programs only interviewed applicants who also signaled, and nearly all matched orthopaedic surgery applicants from the 2022-2023 cycle signaled their matching program. Orthopaedic surgery applicants should consider only applying to 30 programs and using all 30 available signals. Applicants should also be more confident knowing that beyond the 30 signals they use, there is limited support to say that they will receive an interview outside of these 30 applications. Orthopaedic surgery programs will also now have the ability to allocate more time to applicants most interested in their program, given the reduction of applications.
在美国住院医师选拔过程中，骨科手术一直是竞争最激烈的专业之一。部分原因在于每个项目收到的平均申请数量以及每个申请人提交的平均申请数量呈稳步上升趋势，这一情况日益受到关注。随着偏好信号计划的实施，申请总数多年来首次下降，这表明信号传递可能会改善申请流程。假设是信号传递导致申请人发送的申请减少，以及项目收到的申请减少。
向参与2023 - 2024申请周期电子住院医师申请服务的骨科手术住院医师项目发送了一份关于其面试和匹配统计的7个问题的调查问卷。然后记录项目主任/管理人员的回复。
我们的项目搜索找到了159个项目，其中106个做出了回应（66.7%）。82个项目（78.8%）仅面试了对其项目发出信号的申请人。92.7%的现任实习生对他们匹配的项目发出了信号，88个项目（84.6%）仅匹配了发出信号的申请人。95个项目（89.6%）表示实施信号传递改善了申请流程。
大多数项目仅面试了也发出信号的申请人，并且2022 - 2023周期几乎所有匹配的骨科手术申请人都对他们匹配的项目发出了信号。骨科手术申请人应考虑仅申请30个项目并使用所有30个可用信号。申请人也应更有信心，因为除了他们使用的30个信号外，几乎没有其他支持表明他们会在这30份申请之外获得面试机会。鉴于申请数量的减少，骨科手术项目现在也将有能力将更多时间分配给对其项目最感兴趣的申请人。
