An Examination of Applicants and Factors Associated with Matriculation to Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship Training Programs

Abstract

Background. The demand for training in complex general surgical oncology (CGSO) fellowships currently exceeds the number of positions offered; however, there are scarce data defining the applicant pool or characteristics associated with successful matriculation. Our study aimed to describe the applicant population and to determine factors associated with acceptance into the fellowship. Study Design. Data were extracted from the Electronic Residency Application System for applicants in 2015 and 2016 and stratified based on matriculation status. Applicant demographics, including medical education, residency, and research achievements, were analyzed. Academic productivity was quantified using the number of peer-reviewed publications as well as the journal with the highest impact factor in which an applicant’s work was published. Results. Data were gathered on a total of 283 applicants, of which 105 matriculated. The overall population was primarily male (63.2%), Caucasian (40.6%), educated at a U.S. allopathic medical school (53.4%), and trained at a university-based General Surgery residency (55.5%). Education at a U.S. allopathic school (OR = 5.63, p < 0.0001), university-based classification of the applicant’s surgical residency (OR = 4.20, p < 0.0001), and a residency affiliation with a CGSO fellowship (OR = 2.61, p = 0.004) or National Cancer Institute designated Comprehensive Cancer Center (OR = 3.16, p < 0.001) were found to be associated with matriculation. Matriculants published a higher number of manuscripts than nonmatriculants (median of 10 vs. 4.5, p < 0.0001) and more frequently achieved publication in journals with higher impact factors (p < 0.0001). Conclusions. This study represents the first objective description of the CGSO fellowship applicant pool. Applicants’ medical school, residency, and research data points correlated with successful matriculation.

A Survey of the Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship Programs Regarding Applicant Selection and Rank

“…An average of 74 applications were submitted to each CGSO training program in 2018, and the current demand for positions greatly exceeds the number of positions offered. 4,8 In fact, 63% of applicants go unmatched to CGSO fellowships. 4 As such, data regarding academic benchmarks and desired characteristics of applicants are likely to be highly valuable to the aspiring surgical oncologist.…”

“…Our group previously used data from the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) to describe the 2015 and 2016 CGSO fellowship applicant pools and determine objective applicant characteristics associated with matriculation into this competitive fellowship. 4 We found that education at a U.S. allopathic medical school, training in a university-based surgical residency, and residency affiliation with a CGSO fellowship or National Cancer Institute designated Comprehensive Cancer Center (NCI-CCC) were associated with matriculation. We also demonstrated that matriculants produced more publications and achieved publication in higher impact journals than did nonmatriculants.…”

“…1–3 Candidates interested in the complex surgical and multidisciplinary care of cancer patients may apply for fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology (CGSO), which established a separate board certification in 2011. 4,5 Although the number of Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) recognized CGSO programs has grown from just eight in 1986 to 30 in 2018, the demand for training in CGSO continues to exceed the number of available fellowship positions by a significant margin. 4–6…”

“…4,5 Although the number of Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) recognized CGSO programs has grown from just eight in 1986 to 30 in 2018, the demand for training in CGSO continues to exceed the number of available fellowship positions by a significant margin. 4–6…”

“…We also demonstrated that matriculants produced more publications and achieved publication in higher impact journals than did nonmatriculants. 4…”