Analysis of Unmatched Orthopaedic Residency Applicants: Options After the Match

Abstract

Background: Orthopaedic surgery is one of the most competitive specialties, resulting in many applicants going unmatched. Many unmatched applicants pursue a preliminary internship or research fellowship, but whether these activities make them more successful in subsequent match cycles has not been studied.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of activities during the intervening period on match success in a subsequent cycle.

Methods: After reviewing rank order lists for our program and National Resident Matching Program correspondence from 1994 to 2013, we identified 198 of 1216 ranked applicants (16.3%) who did not initially match. Of these, 57 applicants who matched through the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program did not reapply to orthopaedics or trained overseas.

Results: Of 141 reapplicants, 56 matched into orthopaedic surgery, with 87.5% (P < .001) matching at a program in the same region where they had either completed their medical degree or postgraduate year, and 37.5% matching at their home institution (P < .001). Successful reapplicants after a research fellowship had a significantly higher number of publications than unsuccessful reapplicants (P < .05). There was no significant difference in success after research or internship (P = .80) and no significant difference in success rates for US versus international reapplicants (P = .43).

Conclusions: Success of reapplication into orthopaedic surgery may be less dependent on the route taken during the interim period, and more dependent on developing relationships with faculty at a local or regional institution.

FIGURE

Flowchart Illustrating Outcome and Route Taken by All Ranked Applicants at Our Institution Who Did Not Initially Match Into Orthopaedics (1994–2013) Abbreviations: FMG, foreign medical graduate; SOAP, Supplemental Offer and Acceptanace Program.