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Comparing Temporal Trends in Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship Match Statistics in Plastic Surgery, Facial Plastic
Background:
Aesthetic plastic surgery fellowships endorsed by The Aesthetic Society participated in the San Francisco (SF) Match in 2017 to 2018. Despite streamlined applications and increases in available positions, participating applicants did not increase through the 2022 match cycle.
Objectives:
The authors of this study compare match statistics for aesthetic plastic surgery, facial plastic surgery, and oculofacial surgery, with analysis extended through the 2025 match cycle.
Methods:
SF Match data for aesthetic plastic surgery (2018-2025), facial plastic surgery (2018-2024), and oculofacial surgery (2018-2024) were analyzed. Relevant data included the number of participating programs, positions, applicants, filled positions, and match rates. The 2017 to 2024 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Data Resource Books provided resident graduation data by subspecialty.
Results:
Aesthetic plastic surgery positions increased significantly (P = .047) between 2018 and 2022, whereas applicant numbers remained unchanged (P > .99). Participating aesthetic plastic surgery applicants more than doubled from 28 in 2022 to 59 in 2025 (P = .026), whereas available position numbers slightly decreased (P > .99). No significant changes occurred in filled positions (ie, applicants matched), fill rates, or match rates between match cycles. Facial plastic surgery and oculofacial surgery fellowship trends were stable, with no significant changes in these metrics.
Conclusions:
Efforts to improve the postgraduate plastic surgery aesthetic application process and training model have had a significant, although delayed, impact on application numbers. Applications to facial plastic surgery and oculofacial surgery fellowships have seen only nominal increases during the same time period. Previously, facial plastic surgery fellowships greatly outnumbered aesthetic plastic surgery fellowships. This gap has now significantly narrowed. Oculofacial surgery fellowships remain highly competitive and limited in numbers.
Level Of Evidence:
5 (Therapeutic).
