Predictors of Matching into Anesthesiology and Surgery: Analysis of One Program's Results

Sonali Shah; Jorge Con; Lori Mercado; Abbas Smiley; Garret Weber; Apolonia E Abramowicz

doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2023.06.021

Predictors of Matching into Anesthesiology and Surgery: Analysis of One Program's Results

J Surg Educ. 2023 Sep;80(9):1231-1241. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2023.06.021. Epub 2023 Jul 16.

Authors

Sonali Shah¹, Jorge Con², Lori Mercado³, Abbas Smiley², Garret Weber³, Apolonia E Abramowicz³

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York. Electronic address: sshah33@student.nymc.edu.
² Department of Surgery, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York.
³ Department of Anesthesiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York.

PMID: 37455190
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2023.06.021

Abstract

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to use a multivariable regression model to determine what application factors made anesthesiology and surgery applicants more or less likely to match into an anesthesiology or surgery residency program.

Methods: Surgery and Anesthesiology applicants listed on the final National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Rank Order Lists from WMC in the 2020-2021 application cycle were included in analysis. All applicant data were collected through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). All ERAS and letters of recommendation (LOR) data were deidentified and LOR were subsequently inputted into a linguistics software to analyze the language use in LOR. Descriptive analyses were conducted to compare variables between applicants that matched to a specific residency program and those who matched elsewhere. A multivariable regression model was then used to determine characteristics of anesthesiology and surgery applicants that were indicative of matching to a specific rank of residency program.

Results: A total of 116 anesthesiology and 78 surgery applicants were included in final analysis. Analysis of anesthesiology applicants yielded four significant application characteristics that influenced matching to a higher or lower ranked residency program: USMLE Step 2 CK scores, medical school attended, insight category words in LOR, and anger category words in LOR. Similarly, analysis of surgery applicants yielded four significant characteristics: Race, USMLE Step 1 scores, insight category words, and see category words.

Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that specialties of anesthesiology and surgery considered different metrics regarding the residency application process. Among the many factors that were analyzed, USMLE scores and language in LOR were considered significant in both specialties. As the application process continues to evolve, we may see a shift in what application factors are considered more important than others.

Keywords: ERAS; education; match; residency program.

MeSH terms

Anesthesiology*
Electronics
Internship and Residency*
United States