The Neurosurgery Match: COVID-19 Comparison and Bibliometric Analysis

INTRODUCTION: Because of the effect of COVID-19 on academic opportunities, as well as limitations on travel, away rotations and in-person interviews, COVID-19−related changes could impact the neurosurgical resident demographics. Our aim was to retrospectively review the demographics of the previous 4 years of neurosurgery residents, provide bibliometric analysis of successful applicants, and analyze for the effects of COVID-19 on the match cycle. METHODS: All American Association of Neurological Surgeons’ residency program websites were examined for a list of demographic characteristics for current postgraduate years 1 to 4. Gathered information included gender, undergraduate and medical institution and state, medical degree status, and prior graduate programs. RESULTS: A total of 114 institutions and 946 residents were included in the final review. Most (676, or 71.5%) of the residents included in the analysis were male. Of the 783 who studied within the United States, 221 (28.2%) residents stayed within the same state of his or her medical school. Fewer residents (104 of 555, or 18.7%) stayed within the same state of his or her undergraduate school. Demographic information and geographic switching relative to medical school, undergraduate school, and hometown showed no significant changes between pre−COVID-19 and COVID-19−matched cohorts overall. The median number of publications per resident significantly increased for the COVID-19−matched cohort (median, 1; interquartile range [IQR], 0–4.75) when compared with the non−COVID-19−matched cohort (median, 1; IQR, 0–3, P = 0.004), as did first author publications (median, 1; IQR, 0–1 vs. median, 1; IQR, 0–1; P = 0.015), respectively. The number of residents matching into the same region in the Northeast relative to undergraduate degree was significantly greater after COVID-19 (56 [58%] versus 36 [42%], P = 0.026). The West demonstrated a significant increase in the mean number of total publications (4.0 ± 8.5 vs. 2.3 ± 4.2, P = 0.02) and first author publications (1.24 ± 2.33 vs. 0.68 ± 1.47, P = 0.02) after COVID-19, with the increase in first author publications being significant in a test of medians. CONCLUSIONS: Herein we characterized the most recently matched neurosurgery applicants, paying particular attention to changes over time in relation to the onset of the pandemic. Apart from publication volume, characteristics of residents and geographical preferences did not change with the influence of COVID-19−induced changes in the application process.