Analysis of the microsurgery fellowship match: 2019-2022 update

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Fellowship Match Data Analysis

Background:

• Increased competition for microsurgery fellowship positions was noted in 2019.
• Growing opportunities in microsurgery suggest a more competitive landscape for applicants and programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare microsurgery fellowship match data from two distinct periods.
• To provide insights for residents and programs navigating the microsurgery fellowship application process.

Main Methods:

• Microsurgery fellowship match data from 2014-2022 was analyzed.
• Data were stratified into 2016-2018 and 2019-2022 periods.
• Key parameters included program/position fill rates, match rates, and in-service exam percentiles, analyzed via Chi-square and t-tests.

Main Results:

• The number of participating programs and positions increased from 2016-2018 to 2019-2022.
• The number of applicants per position decreased, while the overall match rate significantly increased (67.8% to 80.2%).
• The position fill rate in 2022 was the lowest on record (75.4%), and in-service exam percentiles did not differ between the two periods.

Conclusions:

• The number of microsurgery fellowship programs has grown, accompanied by a decrease in applicants.
• Prospective applicants have experienced an increased match rate.
• Unfilled positions and unmatched applicants indicate multifactorial challenges within the microsurgery fellowship match process.