Orthopaedic Personal Statement Thematic Review: Does Topic Matter?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Admissions
• Application Theme Analysis

Background:

• The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) requires personal statements for medical residency applications.
• The content and utility of personal statements in orthopaedic surgery are questioned due to potential theme congruity.
• This study aimed to analyze thematic elements in orthopaedic surgery personal statements and their correlation with interview invitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and categorize thematic elements in orthopaedic surgery applicants' personal statements from 2021-2022.
• To assess the correlation between specific personal statement themes and interview invitation rates.
• To understand the impact of thematic content on the orthopaedic surgery residency application process.

Main Methods:

• Deidentified personal statements from 2021-2022 ERAS orthopaedic surgery applicants were reviewed.
• Statements were categorized into predefined themes (e.g., family of physician, working with hands, immigration/travel).
• Statistical analyses, including chi-squared tests and multivariate principal component analysis, were used to assess theme selection and interview correlation.

Main Results:

• A significant difference in theme selection was observed among applicants' personal statements (p < 0.001).
• Univariate analysis showed higher interview rates for 'immigration/travel' and 'family of physician' themes.
• Multivariate analysis identified 'immigration/travel' as the only theme with a significant positive correlation to interview invitation.

Conclusions:

• Specific themes are prevalent in orthopaedic surgery personal statements, with 'immigration/travel' and 'family of physician' showing increased interview rates.
• 'Immigration/travel' was the sole significant predictor of interview invitation, potentially reflecting diversity initiatives in orthopaedic surgery.
• The study highlights the importance of thematic content in personal statements for orthopaedic surgery residency admissions.