Mining for Gold: A Mixed-Methods Study on Personal Statements in General Surgery Residency Applications

As numeric data are becoming increasingly scarce in general surgery residency applications, the personal statement (PS) may be key to identifying candidates to interview. This study sought to determine if PSs of candidates invited for interview at our residency program had different qualities when compared to those not invited.

This single-institution study retrospectively reviewed the PSs of applications for a categorical general surgery position (2022). The scores assigned to PSs were compared. The content of PSs was qualitatively analyzed based on an a priori coding scheme. The codes of interest related to program alignment were the following: diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, social determinants of health, and service to underserved communities.

Of 308 applications, 112 (36%) applicants were invited to the interview. For applicants who were invited to the interview, the PSs were scored higher compared to those who were not invited (median 4.25 versus 3.5, P < 0.001). Highly scored PSs were more likely to include a personal story (74% versus 59%, P = 0.01) and mention diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, social determinants of health, or service to under-served communities (62% versus 37%, P < 0.001). Also, a greater proportion of applicants who were invited to the interview wrote about these topics (71% versus 33%, P < 0.0001).

At our institution, PS quality and content is associated with interview selection. A high-quality PS tended to include personal story about the applicants and signal value alignment with our institution. PSs should be placed at greater importance in the review process and emphasized as a marker for candidate and institutional alignment.