Orthopaedic Fellowship Match: How Do Degree and Gender Type Affect Match Success?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Fellowship Matching

Background:

• Previous studies noted gender and degree discrepancies in orthopaedic education.
• Understanding applicant trends is crucial for equitable fellowship placement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in gender and medical degree types among applicants to various orthopaedic fellowships.
• To evaluate match rates and rank positions based on applicant demographics.

Main Methods:

• Utilized San Francisco match data from 2012 to 2023.
• Analyzed applicant numbers, match rates, and rank list positions.
• Stratified data by applicant gender and degree type (allopathic vs. osteopathic).

Main Results:

• Female applicant match rates increased significantly from 81% to 99% (mean 90%).
• Male applicant match rates also increased significantly, ranging from 85% to 96% (mean 90%).
• Osteopathic applicant match rates rose from 63% to 94% (mean 82%), while allopathic rates increased from 86% to 96% (mean 91%).

Conclusions:

• Male and female applicants achieve comparable orthopaedic fellowship match rates.
• Graduates with osteopathic medical degrees are less likely to match than those with allopathic degrees.