Selecting the Next Generation of Surgeons: General Surgery Program Directors and Coordinators Perspective on USMLE...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Licensure
• Surgical Residency Admissions

Background:

• The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is a universal assessment for physician licensure.
• Recent USMLE exam changes impact surgical residency candidate application reviews.
• Key changes include USMLE Step 1 becoming pass/fail and the dissolution of the USMLE clinical skills exam.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess program directors' attitudes toward USMLE exam changes.
• To evaluate the perceived impact of holistic review on surgical residency selection.
• To understand how these changes affect the evaluation of future surgical residency candidates.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous online survey was distributed to general surgery program directors and coordinators in the USA.
• The survey gathered data on attitudes toward USMLE exam modifications and holistic review implementation.
• A response rate of 63.7% was achieved.

Main Results:

• A majority of program directors disagree with the USMLE Step 1 pass/fail scoring system.
• Respondents anticipate increased importance of factors like medical school reputation, personal contacts, and clinical performance.
• Program directors believe holistic review can reduce socioeconomic disparities and enhance diversity.

Conclusions:

• The shift to USMLE Step 1 pass/fail will elevate the importance of Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) for residency matching.
• Medical school name, personal connections, and clinical rotation performance will gain greater significance in candidate evaluation.
• Holistic review is seen as a tool to foster a more diverse and inclusive resident cohort.