Factors affecting orthopedic residency selection: a cross-sectional survey

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Medical Education
• Surgical Training

Background:

• Orthopedic residency programs recruit top candidates annually.
• Limited evidence exists on factors influencing orthopedic career and residency program selection.
• Nonsurgical fields indicate hospital, social, and program factors impact candidate choices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors influencing medical student choice of an orthopedic surgery career.
• To determine factors influencing medical student selection of orthopedic residency programs.

Main Methods:

• Surveyed Canadian orthopedic surgery residents (PGY 1-5) and medical student applicants.
• Online survey assessed educational, program cohesion, and non-educational factors using a Likert Scale.
• Collected data on 139 residents and 23 medical student applicants.

Main Results:

• Orthopedic electives and rotations were important for 71% of participants.
• Highest ranked factors included resident collegiality (4.70), program fit (4.65), and resident satisfaction (4.63).
• Response rates were 49% for residents and 88% for applicants.

Conclusions:

• Residency programs can attract applicants by offering early clerkship rotations and strong mentorship.
• Emphasis on resident-resident and resident-staff cohesion is crucial.
• Programs should balance early surgical skills access with high-level orthopedic training.