The Residency Application Process – How We Do It

CORD Conference Annual Meeting

Denver, CO – June 15, 2013

Kyle J. Jeray

Greenville Health System

University of South Carolina

Greenville, SC

Disclosures Editorial board JOT and JBJS Newsletter, Reviewer

JBJS, JOT, JAAOS; Consultant for Zimmer; Research

support from Department of Defense, CIHR, NIH, AO

North America, OTA; Oral examiner for ABOS

Department has received funds for educational

support from Smith & Nephew, Zimmer, Synthes,

Stryker

I have no conflicts with this presentation

Background

163 programs with 693 positions

1038 applicants of which 833 were US seniors

All but one filled via the NRMP (67% of

applicants matched in orthopedic surgery)

Residency Application Process and Treating a Tibial Fracture?

Residency Application Process and Treating a tibial Plateau Fracture?

Are they the same?

Who looks good?

Goals?

Outcomes?

Tips and Tricks to get there, wherever there

is?

How one gets to Matching a resident Varies

Primarily valgus force +/- axial loadCompressive and shearing forces

Bone quality + rate, direction, magnitude of force

Determine ultimate fracture pattern

Goal – Find Resident that -

Works hard (PASSION!)

Fits in well

Passes ABOS I and II

Safe and competent

AVOID COMPLICATIONS!

7% of residents will be a headache!

Probation or fire

ERAS - Physical Examination

ERAS – Electronic Residency

Application Service

Open applications starting in mid

August

ERAS

•Transcript•CV•Board scores•Personal statement•+ or – picture•Letters of Recommendation – 3 (but most send at least 4)

ERAS

Work experience

Publications

Research (in or out of orthopedics)

Volunteer experience

What about Additional Forms?

May help?

Burden to others?

My opinion – All or None

What is Really Relevant?

Does anyone know?

Maybe Jack Choueka?

His talk next - but if we did

we would all match same

group?

The Dean’s Letter

Helpful?

Released earlier last

year now most by

mid October

Sort the Applications (Classify)

Average about 600-650 applications for 4 positions

Screen - USMLE scores (cutoff if less than 220 with few exceptions)

Transcript GPA 3.75 cutoff

Who to Finally Interview?

After the screening we are usually down to about 200 applications

The PD, Chair, and Associate PD review

Scoring forms?

Interviews

55-70 will be granted interview from the 200

Decision between all three of us

Each with own thoughts - takes one

afternoon to decide

What About Rotators?

We have 15-20

Interview at end of rotation

Invite back only if we are interested

– costly to interview if have no

chance

Interview Process Multiple Dates 15-20

3-5 per day

One resident assigned to each interview day

Why?

Who Interviews?

Program Director

Chairman

Associate PD

Chief Resident

At least 2-4 other faculty varies each day

Interview Styles – The right one?

Typically 30-45 minutes

Process relaxed each interviewer own style and

has an evaluation sheet, but comments galore!

Ultimately each ranks best to least

Interviewing – To Do Read the application

ahead of time

Focus questions on

what “fits” your

program

Ask about what’s in

the applicationresearch

Interviewing – To Avoid?

Rash “Blink” decisions

Talking too much about program

Gimmicks

Making decisions on ridiculous questions

Small talk

What would you do questions

Take Your Time! It isn’t a race 10 extra minutes

spent doing a good job will be 10 minutes well spent

Applicants appreciative

Needing everyone’s opinion

Logistically how do you do it? Coordinator key role in scheduling

Remember only need 2 hours to interview 4

applicants (start before 1st case see 2 between and

4th after)

A resident assigned to “entertain” during down time

Most Important Interview!!!!

The night before with ONLY a few residents

for a casual dinner (typically 2-3 residents

and 3-5 applicants)

Setting relaxed and our residents get idea of

“fit” for program over 2-3 hours socially

Soooo Why things don’t turn out? Understand Your Equipment!

Pre-op plan!!

No Application Process is Perfect!

Lots of ways to do things (are 4 good interviews better than 10 or 15 for 5-10 minutes for an applicant?)

Different strokes for different folks

As much as the process may impact your decision it still is all about DECIDING WHO TO TAKE!

Remember -

One bad resident is a 5

year headache

Take your time, screen,

prepare, interview and

ultimately HOPE it is

the right decision!

(from Adam Starr)