The Orthopaedic Interview Spreadsheet: Classification and Comparison to the National Resident Matching Program

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Applications
• Medical Education Technology
• Applicant Data Analysis

Background:

• The Orthopaedic Interview Spreadsheet (OIS) is an open-source tool for sharing applicant statistics and program information.
• Its utility in representing the official applicant pool requires validation against established data sources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the representativeness of self-reported applicant statistics in the OIS compared to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) applicant pool.
• To determine if OIS data accurately reflects key metrics of orthopaedic surgery residency applicants.

Main Methods:

• Compared self-reported data from 243 OIS users (2017-2018, 2019-2020) with NRMP weighted means.
• Analyzed USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores, research publications, and Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) status.
• Utilized one-sampled t-tests and one-sample binomial tests for statistical comparison.

Main Results:

• Significant differences were found in OIS Step 1 and Step 2 scores, and AOA status for both application cycles compared to NRMP data.
• Total research items showed statistically significant differences in 2017-2018 but not in 2019-2020.
• The OIS cohort consistently reported higher AOA membership rates than the NRMP cohort.

Conclusions:

• Self-reported statistics in the OIS may not accurately represent the broader orthopaedic surgery applicant pool.
• Prospective applicants should exercise caution when using OIS quantitative data for competitiveness assessment.
• The OIS's primary value lies in its community forums for peer mentorship and information exchange.