Matching into a Surgical Residency Robert L. Hernandez, Jr., M.D. Associate Dean for Student Affairs Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

Topics The process of obtaining a surgical residency The competitive applicant

So You Want to Be a Surgeon? A Medical Student’s Online Guide to Finding and Matching with the Best Possible Surgery Residency http://www.facs.org/residencysearch/

Surgical Residencies Early Match Ophthalmology Urological Surgery San Francisco Match – SF Match Urological Surgery American Urological Association - AUA Military Match Joint Services Graduate Medical Education Board - JSGMEB http://www.sfmatch.org/ http://www.auanet.org/content/residency/residency-match.cfm http://www.militarygme.org/index.html

Surgical Residencies Main Match National Residency Match Program - NRMP General Surgery Neurological Surgery Obstetrics & Gynecology Orthopedic Surgery Otolaryngology Plastic Surgery Thoracic Surgery http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/index.html

Surgical Fellowships Specialties Matching Service (NRMP - SMS) Abdominal Transplant Surgery Colon & Rectal Surgery Combined Musculoskeletal Matching Program (Hand Surgery) Female Pelvic Medicine and Reproductive Surgery Laryngology Gynecologic Oncology Surgical Critical Care Orthopedic Hand Surgery Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Pediatric Surgery Vascular Surgery http://www.nrmp.org/fellow/match_name/index.html

Program Types Categorical – a program that begins in the PGY-1 year and provides the training required for board certification in a medical specialty. Preliminary – a one-year program beginning in the PGY-1 year that provides prerequisite training for advanced programs. Advanced – a program that begins in the PGY-2 year (after one year of preliminary training) and provides the training required for board certification in a medical specialty. Fellowship – a program of subspecialty training that usually begins after completion of residency training.

Preliminary / Advanced Categorical Preliminary / Advanced 1 2 3 4 5 6-7 Emergency Medicine Family Medicine Internal Medicine Subspecialties Pediatrics Obstetrics / Gynecology Otolaryngology Pathology General Surgery Neurological Surgery Orthopedic Surgery Urology Transitional or Preliminary Medicine Preliminary Surgery Anesthesiology Dermatology Neurology Nuclear Medicine Ophthalmology Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Psychiatry Radiology - Diagnostic Radiation Oncology

The Competitive Surgery Applicant

The Competitive Applicant The Numbers Extracurricular Activities How You Present Yourself How Others Present You The “Edge”

The Competitive Applicant: Numbers Grades Board Scores Preclinical Clinical Class Rank Alpha Omega Alpha Step 1 Step 2 CK

The Competitive Applicant Extracurricular Activities Research Leadership Service Other

The Competitive Applicant How you present yourself Application / CV Personal Statement Interview Clinical Rotations / Externships

The Competitive Applicant How others present you Letters of recommendation Medical Student Performance Evaluation (The Dean’s Letter) Word of mouth

The Competitive Applicant The “Edge” Politics Who do you know? How well do you know them? Will they go to bat for you? Diversity

Charting Outcomes in the Match 2011 Characteristics of Applicants Who Matched to Their Preferred Specialty in the 2011 Main Residency Match http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2011.pdf

USMLE Step 1 Scores of Matched U.S. Seniors Source: Charting Outcomes in the Match, 2011

Summary Statistics: General Surgery Source: Charting Outcomes in the Match, 2011

USMLE Step 1 Scores: Matched vs. Unmatched

2012 NRMP Program Director Survey http://www.nrmp.org/data/programresultsbyspecialty2012.pdf

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor in Selecting Applicants to Interview Less Important More Important Source: 2012 NRMP Program Director Survey

Importance Ratings of Factors Used to Rank Candidates Less Important More Important Source: 2012 NRMP Program Director Survey

General Advice

Approaching the Surgical Match: BE PROACTIVE Figure out what YOU want Determine if your goals are achievable Create a reasonable action plan Have a reasonable back up plan

Approaching the Surgical Match: BE INFORMED Use available resources Pay attention to e-mails and other communications Take advantage of opportunities Ask questions Seek advice from knowledgeable people GET THE FACTS!

Approaching the Surgical Match: BE REALISTIC You must take into account the competitiveness of: the specialty a program your application

Thank you! Questions?