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Objective: To investigate whether a gap year for either research or a master's degree is associated with interview offers or match outcomes among otolaryngology applicants. Methods: Using the Texas Seeking Transparency in Application to Residency (Texas STAR) database, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of otolaryngology applicants from 2018 to 2022. Applicants were stratified based on the presence and type of gap year during medical school. Applicant characteristics, signaling, research productivity, and application costs were analyzed, with primary outcomes including number of interview offers and match status. Results: Among 564 otolaryngology applicant respondents to the Texas STAR survey, 160 (28%) reported a gap year, including 64 (40%) applicants participating in a research year, 65 (41%) completing a Master of Public Health or Science (MPH and MSc), and 31 (19%) completing a Master of Business Administration, Education, or other degree (MBA and MEd). Gap-year applicants who completed a research year or MPH/MSc degree received more interview offers (P <.01) than MBA, MEd applicants, or those without a gap year. Applicants with a research year had the most publications, oral presentations, abstracts, posters, and research experiences (all P <.01). When controlling for USMLE scores, clerkship honors, and applications submitted, applicants completing a research year or an MPH/MSc-degree received increased interview offers (P <.01). No significant differences were seen in expenditures or match rates. Conclusions: Research and MPH/MSc gap years were associated with increased residency interview offers but not increased match success. Further longitudinal studies are needed to assess how yearlong experiences affect long-term career outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess whether the geographic region where medical students complete an away rotation predicts the same site, region‐specific, or overall interview offers and match success in otolaryngology. Study Design: Cross‐sectional. Setting: US medical schools. Methods: We queried the Texas Seeking Transparency in Application to Residency database to analyze outcomes of otolaryngology applicants during the 2018 to 2020 and 2022 match cycles. Outcomes included a number of interviews offered, geographic location of interviews, and match results, including region‐specific and overall match success rate. Results: Of 455 otolaryngology applicants, 402 (90.3%) completed an away rotation. Among these, 368 (91.8%) were offered an interview and 124 (30.9%) matched to the program where they completed an away rotation. Applicants who completed away rotations outside their home region received more interview offers from that region than those who did not (Northeast: 4.2 vs 2.9; South: 4.3 vs 3.0; Central: 4.8 vs 3.0; West: 3.8 vs 1.6, P <.01 for all). Completing a remote away rotation increased the odds of receiving an interview from and matching within that region. After excluding programs where an away rotation was completed, a remote away rotation increased the odds of receiving an interview in the central and western regions (Central: odds ratio [OR]: 1.2 [1.1, 1.5]); West OR: 1.9 [1.7, 2.2]; and the odds of matching in the western region (OR: 2.9 [1.2, 7.4], all P <.01). Conclusion: Away rotations are associated with increased odds of interviewing and matching at that away program, with possible associations across the region, most evident for the West coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-informed data may help students matching into competitive residency programs guide curricular activities, extracurricular activities, and residency career choices. We aimed to examine the characteristics of students applying to competitive surgical residencies and identify predictors of matching success. We identified the five lowest match rates for the surgical subspecialities listed in the 2020 National Resident Matching Program report to define a surgical residency as competitive. We analyzed a database from 115 United States medical schools regarding application data from 2017 to 2020. Multilevel logistic regression was used to determine predictors of matching. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.A total of 1,448 medical students submitted 25,549 applications. The five most competitive specialties included were plastic surgery (N = 172), otolaryngology (N = 342), neurological surgery (N = 163), vascular surgery (N = 52), orthopedic surgery (N = 679), and thoracic surgery (N = 40). We found that medical students with a geographical connection (adjusted OR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.41 to 1.93]), and students who did an away rotation at the applied program (adjusted OR, 3.22 [95% CI, 2.75 to 3.78]) had statistically significantly increased odds of matching into a competitive surgical specialty. Furthermore, we found that students with a United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 score below 230 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) score below 240 had increased odds of matching if they completed an away rotation at the applied program. Completing an away rotation and geographical connection to the institution may contribute more than academic criteria for selection into a competitive surgical residency after an interview. This finding may be due to less variation in academic criteria among this pool of high-performing medical students. Students with limited resources who apply to a competitive surgical specialty may be at a disadvantage given the financial burden of an away rotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives/Hypothesis: To estimate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic on the 2021 otolaryngology match with regard to geographic clustering, interview distribution, applicant‐reported costs, and matched applicant characteristics. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Survey data from applicants to otolaryngology residency programs were obtained from the Texas Seeking Transparency in Applications to Residency database. Applicant differences between the 2021 match year and prior match years (2018, 2019, and 2020) were analyzed using two‐sided t‐tests, Chi‐square tests, and Fisher's exact tests. Results: A total of 442 otolaryngology residency applicants responded to the survey, including 329 from the match years 2018 to 2020 and 113 from match year 2021. In 2021, 30.7% of responding applicants reported matching at a program where they had a geographic connection, compared to 40.0% in prior years (P =.139). Matched applicants in 2021 reported attending less interviews than applicants in prior years (mean 12.2 vs. 13.3, P =.040), and 26.1% of responding applicants reported matching at a program where they sent a preference signal. Applicants in the 2021 match reported significantly lower total costs than applicants in prior years (mean difference −$5,496, 95% confidence interval −$6,234 to −$4,759; P <.001). Compared to prior match years, matched applicants in 2021 had no meaningful differences in characteristics such as United States Medical Licensing Exam board scores, clerkship grades, honors society memberships, research output, volunteer experiences, or leadership experiences. Conclusion: Based on this sample, there was no evidence of significant interview hoarding or increased geographic clustering in the 2021 otolaryngology match, and the COVID‐19 pandemic did not appear to result in significantly different matched applicant characteristics. Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 132:1177–1183, 2022 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of this study was to assess predictive factors for receiving interviews and matching in general surgery (GS), cardiothoracic surgery (TS), vascular surgery (VS), and plastic surgery (PS)., Design: The Texas Seeking Transparency in Applications to Residency (STAR) survey was analyzed for match years 2018-2023. Chi-Square Tests of Independence were used to assess differences among participants who received ≥16 vs <16 interviews and, separately, participants who matched vs went unmatched. Odds ratios (OR) for matching were adjusted for board scores, home region, publications, and honors in applicant specialty., Setting: All US medical schools participating in the Texas STAR survey from 2018-2023., Participants: All fourth-year students who completed the survey during the study period., Results: Of the 2,687 individuals included, 78.15% applied in GS, 13.58% in PS, 4.43% in VS, and 3.82% in TS. Participants had higher odds of receiving ≥16 interviews when having >240 step 1 score vs ≤239 (OR 1.76 (95% CI 1.46-2.12); p < 0.001), >250 step 2 score vs ≤249 (2.42 (2.00-2.91); p < 0.001), honors in their specialty (1.48 (1.21-1.80); p < 0.001), and >5 publications vs ≤4 (1.46 (1.16-1.83); p = 0.001). Odds of matching were lower among PS (0.50 (0.36-0.69); p < 0.001) and TS (0.2 (0.13-0.31); <0.001) compared to GS applicants. Participants had higher odds of matching when having >240 step 1 score vs ≤239 (1.33 (1.04-1.70); p = 0.026), >250 step 2 score vs ≤249 (1.52 (1.20-1.92); p < 0.001), and were more likely to match at a program where they indicated a geographic preference (5.49 (2.58-11.66); p < 0.0001) or program signal (3.87 (1.85-8.11); p < 0.001)., Conclusions: The novel geographic preferencing and program signal functions were associated with increased match success. More studies are needed to assess the generalizability of these findings., (Copyright © 2024 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To compare otolaryngology interview and match outcomes between applicants with and without home residency programs., Methods: Otolaryngology applicants from US allopathic medical schools during the 2019-2023 cycles who responded to the Texas Seeking Transparency in Application to Residency (STAR) survey were identified. Students were stratified based upon whether their medical school had an affiliated otolaryngology residency program. The primary outcomes were number of interviews and match rate. Wilcoxon-rank sum and χ 2 testing was used to assess associations between home program status and interview and match outcomes., Results: Of the 633 fourth-year medical students applying to otolaryngology during the 2019-2023 application cycles, 89 had no home program (NHP) and 544 had a home program (HP). Applicants with NHP completed significantly more away rotations than applicants with a HP (2.2 vs. 1.5; p < 0.01). There was no difference in mean number of applications submitted between applicants with NHP and applicants with a HP. However, applicants with a HP received a significantly greater number of interviews (14.7 vs. 11.8; p < 0.01), attended more interviews (12.4 vs. 11.3; p = 0.02), attended a lower percentage of their offered interviews (84.4% vs. 95.8%), and had a higher match rate (81.8% vs. 70.8%; p = 0.02) than applicants with NHP. Applicants with NHP interviewed at (1.9 vs. 1.3; p < 0.01) and matched at (33.7% vs. 23.9%; p = 0.048) significantly more away rotation institutions than applicants with a HP., Conclusion: Applicants with NHP received fewer interviews and had lower match rates. Away rotations may be especially important for applicants with NHP., Level of Evidence: NA Laryngoscope, 134:4494-4500, 2024., (© 2024 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Purpose: Cultural sensitivity may be especially important in the care of children, and national pediatric associations have issued policy statements promoting cultural competence in medical education. The authors conducted a national survey to investigate the current state of cultural competence teaching and learning within U.S. pediatric clerkships., Method: The authors surveyed 125 U.S. pediatric clerkship directors concerning the presence or absence of cultural curricula, content, teaching methods, and evaluation. Question types were multiple-choice single/best answer, checklists, five-point Likert-type scales, and free-text responses., Results: Of 100 respondents (80% response rate), most agreed or strongly agreed that teaching culturally competent care is important (91%), enhances the physician/patient/family relationship (99%), and improves patient outcomes (90%). Twenty four of 98 respondents (25%) reported cultural competence teaching. The most common teaching methods were lectures (63%), experiential learning through community activities (58%), and small-group discussions (54%). Only 14 respondents reported any curricular evaluation, the commonest methods being student surveys, clinical case presentations, and standardized patient experiences. Top factors facilitating curriculum development were culturally diverse populations of patients, students, faculty, and hospital staff, and faculty interest and expertise. Top challenges included lack of protected time for program development, funding, and faculty expertise., Conclusions: Few U.S. pediatric clerkships currently provide cultural competence curricula. The authors' suggestions to promote cultural competence teaching include providing faculty development opportunities and developing and disseminating teaching materials and evaluation tools. Such dissemination is important to graduate physicians, who can provide culturally sensitive pediatric care to the changing U.S. population.