Factors Important in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Program Selection.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Background:

• Facial plastic and reconstructive surgery (FPRS) training programs provide exposure to current techniques.
• Fellowship applicants consider multiple factors when ranking programs.
• Understanding applicant priorities is crucial for program development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the most critical factors influencing fellowship program selection by FPRS applicants.
• To analyze applicant preferences regarding practice type, surgical exposure, and career focus.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous online survey was distributed to FPRS fellows from 2018-2020.
• Respondents rated the importance of various program factors on a 5-point Likert scale.
• Data from 63 respondents were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Practice management (3.94) and location (3.4) were the most important program factors.
• Rhinoplasty (4.54) and aging face procedures (4.44) were the most desired surgical exposures.
• Most applicants (65%) preferred private practice, often in a group setting (51%), focusing exclusively on FPRS.

Conclusions:

• FPRS fellowship applicants prioritize practice management education and specific surgical exposures like rhinoplasty and aging face.
• Location and a group practice setting focused on FPRS are highly valued.
• Applicants are generally not interested in retaining general otolaryngology aspects in their practice.