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Microsurgery Fellowship Selection Criteria: A National Program Director Survey
Francesco M Egro1, Nathaniel A Blecher1, Michael L Gimbel1
1Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery
|December 16, 2016
Summary
Microsurgery fellowship directors prioritize strong recommendations, faculty interactions, and interview performance for selecting candidates. Factors like international training or visa needs can negatively impact applicant selection.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Education
- Microsurgery Fellowship Selection
Background:
- Little data exists on desirable characteristics for microsurgery fellowship applicants.
- Understanding selection criteria is crucial for program directors and applicants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and rank factors influencing microsurgery fellowship applicant selection.
- To provide data on program directors' perceptions of candidate qualifications.
Main Methods:
- A survey was distributed to 36 U.S. microsurgery fellowship directors.
- 38 questions assessed the importance of various applicant characteristics using a 5-point Likert scale.
- Factors evaluated included medical school, residency, research, interviews, and personal attributes.
Main Results:
- A 53% response rate was achieved from fellowship directors.
- Key selection factors: letters of recommendation, faculty interaction, interview performance, and professionalism.
- Negative impacts: non-U.S. plastic surgery residency, visa requirements, and foreign medical school graduation.
Conclusions:
- Microsurgery fellowship directors highly value letters of recommendation, faculty interactions, and interview performance.
- Applicant's origin and visa status can be perceived as disadvantages in the selection process.
