Match Rates for a Surgical Mentorship Program for Underrepresented Learners

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Health Workforce Diversity

Background:

• Students from underrepresented groups face significant barriers in pursuing surgical careers.
• Inclusive mentorship is crucial for addressing these challenges.
• Outcomes of dedicated surgical mentorship programs for underrepresented learners require further description.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the 3-year outcomes of the UpSurge surgical mentorship program in Canada.
• To evaluate the impact of mentorship on surgical residency match rates for underrepresented learners.

Main Methods:

• Quality improvement study utilizing retrospective data from the UpSurge program (2022-2025).
• Program paired medical students with surgical faculty, fellows, and residents.
• Included educational workshops and merit-based scholarships.
• Residency match data collected via mentee self-report and public sources.

Main Results:

• 235 mentees participated, including Canadian and international medical students/graduates.
• Of 52 eligible Canadian medical students, 30 (57.7%) matched to surgical disciplines.
• Scholarship recipients had a high match rate (14/16, 88%) into surgical specialties.
• General surgery was the most common specialty match.

Conclusions:

• The UpSurge program demonstrates positive outcomes in surgical residency matching for underrepresented learners.
• Continued investment in diverse mentorship programs is vital for improving surgical workforce diversity.
• Mentorship programs like UpSurge can effectively support aspiring surgeons from underrepresented backgrounds.