Electronic Residency Application Service Application Characteristics Associated with Successful Residency Matching in Neurosurgery in 2009–2016

doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2018.02.082

World Neurosurgery

Volume 113, May 2018, Pages e529-e534

Portions of this work were presented at the Neurosurgical Society of America Annual Meeting in Powerscourt, Ireland, June 20, 2016.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2018.02.082 Get rights and content

Highlights

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Data were collected from the NRMP report “Charting Outcomes in the Match” from all years it was available for neurosurgery.
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Univariate statistical analysis was performed to examine factors significantly associated with successful match.
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Contiguous ranks, USMLE Step 1 and 2, research AOA status, and top 40 NIH funding are significant.
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For independent applicants, only USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores and number of research projects were statistically significant.
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These factors can aid students in their decisions regarding which factors to prioritize to maximize chances of matching.

Background

Resident applicants in neurosurgery often wonder what factors impact their chances of successfully matching. Using data published by the National Residency Match Program for 2009–2016, we examined which components of the Electronic Residency Application Service application correlated with successful residency matching.

Methods

Data were collected from the National Residency Match Program publication Charting Outcomes in the Match from all years it was available for neurosurgery (2009, 2011, 2014, 2016). Individual factors reported (number of contiguous ranks, research projects, publications and presentations, work experiences, volunteer experiences, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 and 2 score deciles, categorical data about Alpha Omega Alpha status, Ph.D. degree, other degree, and strength of medical school National Institutes of Health funding) were aggregated for all 3 years. Categorical data were available only for U.S. seniors. Spearman correlation and χ² were used for ranked data and categorical data, respectively. Separate analyses were run for U.S. seniors and independent applicants.

Results

For U.S. seniors applying to neurosurgery, number of contiguous ranks, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 and 2 scores, research projects, Alpha Omega Alpha status, and medical school top 40 National Institutes of Health funding were significantly associated with successful matching of applicants. Number of volunteer experiences was nearly statistically significant. For independent applicants, only United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 and 2 scores and number of research projects were statistically significant.

Conclusions

This is the first study to analyze National Residency Match Program data for predictors of success in neurosurgical matching. Students applying to neurosurgery residency and their mentors should be aware of which baseline objective factors are associated with match success.

Introduction

The path to becoming a neurosurgeon is arduous with high standards for neurosurgery applicants. For example, the mean United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 score in 2016 was 233 for all applicants who successfully matched in all specialties (SD 17.4). For neurosurgery, the average score was 249. For comparison, a passing score is 192.¹ In addition, applicants averaged a score of 251 on USMLE Step 2 and 4.8 research projects.

For individuals who aspire to match into neurosurgery, preparation begins early in medical school and often during undergraduate education. The American Academy of Neurologic Surgeons reiterates this idea on their website, stating that neurosurgery “strives to attract the best and brightest candidates graduating from accredited medical schools” and emphasizes the need for the very best of medical school credentials in no uncertain terms.² Potential applicants in the United States and abroad anecdotally rely on available information sources such as local faculty mentors, program directors, chairmen, residents, websites, and other medical students. However, much of this advice is based on individualized experience alone. Objective data can be difficult to find. Faculty mentorship is valuable but often is aided by general observational trends at best. Initial information-gathering attempts may even compound confusion, as various forums may easily propagate misinformation. Students who are interested in neurosurgery residency need more clarity regarding the baseline objective factors that influence match success.

About every other year, Charting Outcomes in the Match, a publication of the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) and Association of American Medical Colleges, reports data pertaining to the characteristics of applicants who match into various specialties. Neurosurgery joined the NRMP in 2009, and Charting Outcomes in the Match has been published for neurosurgery for the years 2009, 2011, 2014, and 2016.1, 3, 4, 5, 6 This study used data published by the NRMP for 2009–2016 to examine components of the Electronic Residency Application Service application that were associated with successful residency matching into neurosurgery. This information can aid potential applicants in determining which factors increase the likelihood of matching and can offer insight into elements of the process applicants may be able to control. This is the first study to analyze NRMP data for predictors of success in the neurosurgical match.

Section snippets

Materials and Methods

Aggregate data were collected from the NRMP publication Charting Outcomes in the Match from all the years neurosurgery data were available (2009, 2011, 2014, and 2016). Although deidentified individual-level data were requested, these data were not available from the NRMP. Therefore, only univariate statistical analysis was performed, as multivariate analysis was not possible. Given the disparity in match outcomes, graduating seniors from the United States were analyzed separately from

Results

Data included 899 U.S. seniors and 275 independent applicants. For U.S. seniors applying to neurosurgery, number of contiguous ranks, USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores, research projects, AOA status, and medical school top 40 NIH funding were significantly associated with a greater proportion of applicants successfully matching. Number of volunteer experiences was nearly statistically significant. For independent applicants, only USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores and number of research projects were

Discussion

Neurosurgery continues to prove to be a competitive specialty. In 2016, 216 positions were offered for 342 total applicants for a 63% match proportion.¹ Individuals who aspire to become neurosurgeons should be well versed in the potentially modifiable factors that increase the likelihood of matching. Although various nontraditional routes to neurosurgery exist, this analysis highlights the factors that likely influence a successful match into a neurosurgery residency program. For U.S. medical

Conclusions

Students pursuing and applying to neurosurgery residency as well as their mentors should be aware of which factors are meaningfully associated with success in the match. This analysis emphasizes the importance of number of contiguous ranks, USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores, research projects, AOA status, and medical school top 40 NIH funding, all of which reached statistical significance in our analysis for U.S. graduates. USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores and number of research projects reached significance

Acknowledgments

We thank Stephen J. Haines for his support and advice. We also thank the National Resident Matching Program and Mei Liang, Director of Research, for her input.

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Citation Excerpt :
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In the 2020 Match, integrated plastic surgery had only 82 programs and 180 positions, and over the 2016-2020 Matches, the growth of integrated plastic surgery was a mere 6.9 positions per year. For matched 2020 applicants, integrated plastic surgery had the highest USMLE Step 1 score (249), highest USMLE Step 2 score (tied at 256), and second highest number of abstracts/presentations/publications (19.1).
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: Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that the article content was composed in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

View full text

Original ArticleElectronic Residency Application Service Application Characteristics Associated with Successful Residency Matching in Neurosurgery in 2009–2016

Highlights

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Introduction

Section snippets

Materials and Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusions

Acknowledgments

World Neurosurg

Charting Outcomes in the Match, 2016

NeurosurgeryMatch.org. Overview of neurosurgery

Charting Outcomes in the Match, 2009

Charting Outcomes in the Match, 2011

Charting Outcomes in the Match, 2014

Charting Outcomes in the Match, 2016

The plastic surgery match: predicting success and improving the process

Ann Plast Surg

Original Article
Electronic Residency Application Service Application Characteristics Associated with Successful Residency Matching in Neurosurgery in 2009–2016