Could Residency Application Resources Benefit From Centralization? Survey Insights From Fourth-Year Medical Students

Residency programs have the advantage of comparing applicants through a single platform that combines factors that program directors value. Conversely, applicants have innumerable resources with fragmented information, and there are limited data on what they value when considering residency programs. This study sought to identify what students value from existing resources, how resources could be improved, and if a centralized resource would help meet the needs of residency applicants.

An online survey was sent to medical students at a single academic institution during the 2022 to 2023 residency application cycle. Students were asked to rank resources, identify their favorite and least favorite resources, and rate the utility of specific features and of a centralized platform. Statistical analysis was performed using an ordinal regression model. Statistical significance was defined by P < .05.

Sixty-four out of 188 fourth-year medical students completed the survey. Students ranked program websites and FREIDA (Fellowship & Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access) the highest (P < .01). Program websites were the most favored for reliability, followed by FREIDA for its comparison tools. Student Doctor Network and Reddit were the least favored due to limited reliability, but felt helpful for candid reviews. Respondents indicated that fellowship placement ratings would be most helpful, while unvetted anonymous commentary on resident wellness would also be helpful. Surgical specialty applicants preferred resources like Google Sheets that offered detailed fellowship information, while nonsurgical applicants did not prioritize this. Ninety-one percent of respondents said a centralized platform integrating standardized information would be helpful.

Medical students desire a unified resource that combines reliable information with candid perspectives. A centralized platform with standardized data across programs, tailored to the differing needs of surgical and nonsurgical applicants, could fulfill this need and improve the residency application process.