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Factors used by program directors to select hand surgery fellows.
Matthew S Nies1, Alexander J Bollinger1, Charles Cassidy1
1College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners, Grand Rapids, MI; Hand and Upper Extremity Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA.
Hand surgery fellowship directors prioritize strong recommendation letters, technical competence, and program reputation when selecting applicants. Integrity, hard work, and teamwork are crucial for ranking successful candidates.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Hand Surgery Fellowship
- Medical Education
Background:
- Selecting candidates for competitive hand surgery fellowships is critical.
- Understanding program director priorities aids applicants.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify key factors in selecting and ranking hand surgery fellowship applicants.
- Inform prospective fellows about essential attributes.
Main Methods:
- Web-based questionnaire distributed to US hand fellowship program directors.
- Likert scale (1-5) used to rank criteria for interviews and rankings.
- Analysis of average scores to determine most important factors.
Main Results:
- Top interview criteria: quality letters from hand surgeons, orthopedic residency completion, technical competence, MD degree, residency reputation.
- Key interview attributes: maturity, articulation, listening skills, self-confidence.
- Top ranking factors: integrity, work ethic, recommendation quality, interview performance, teamwork.
Conclusions:
- Definitive factors influence hand surgery fellowship selection and ranking.
- Insights are valuable for medical students and residents pursuing hand surgery.
