Applicant Ranking Criteria in Adult Reconstruction Fellowship: Your Interview Counts When Applying for Fellowship

Background The criteria for successful ranking in the fellowship match remains unclear. Although some data are available regarding the qualities sought after in medical students for the residency match, little information is available regarding the fellowship match. In this study, for arthroplasty applications to our institution, the interview was hypothesized to be the most important factor for ranking, with little impact from other commonly assessed variables. Methodology All 40 applicants who applied for fellowship were selected to interview for the 2017 Brown University Comprehensive Adult Reconstruction Fellowship and were evaluated on the interview, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores, letters of recommendation, personal statement, extracurricular activities, research, and caliber of undergraduate institution, medical school, and residency program. The interview score was based on a combined score of individual components of personality, program fit, and research. Results Of the 40 applicants who were interviewed, eight did not match. The interview score was the only statistically significant variable and had the highest correlation with ranking (r = 0.92). Moreover, extracurricular activities correlated with a higher ranking whereas USMLE Step 1/Step 2 scores had a relatively low correlation (r = 0.32 and 0.29, respectively). Recommendation letters and caliber of medical school, undergraduate education, and residency demonstrated low correlations. The personal statement and research components had the lowest correlations. Conclusions The combined interview score, in particular the personality and program fit components, was the most important determinant of successful ranking at our institution. Because all 40 applicants who applied for an arthroplasty fellowship at our institution were selected for an interview, there was no pre-interview selection bias that would confound these results. However, the ranking does not correlate with an applicant’s success in fellowship, and further research is required to determine the qualifications of a successful surgeon.