Impact of Doximity Residency Rankings on Emergency Medicine Applicant Rank Lists

Abstract

IntroductionThis study investigates the impact of the Doximity rankings on the rank list choices made by residency applicants in emergency medicine (EM).MethodsWe sent an 11-item survey by email to all students who applied to EM residency programs at four different institutions representing diverse geographical regions. Students were asked questions about their perception of Doximity rankings and how it may have impacted their rank list decisions.ResultsResponse rate was 58% of 1,372 opened electronic surveys. This study found that a majority of medical students applying to residency in EM were aware of the Doximity rankings prior to submitting rank lists (67%). One-quarter of these applicants changed the number of programs and ranks of those programs when completing their rank list based on the Doximity rankings (26%). Though the absolute number of programs changed on the rank lists was small, the results demonstrate that the EM Doximity rankings impact applicant decision-making in ranking residency programs.ConclusionWhile applicants do not find the Doximity rankings to be important compared to other factors in the application process, the Doximity rankings result in a small change in residency applicant ranking behavior. This unvalidated ranking, based principally on reputational data rather than objective outcome criteria, thus has the potential to be detrimental to students, programs, and the public. We feel it important for specialties to develop consensus around measurable training outcomes and provide freely accessible metrics for candidate education.

Impact of Doximity Residency Navigator on Graduate Medical Education Recruitment

“…2 Previous studies have called into question the validity of the Doximity reputation rankings due to the lack of objective and outcome-based data used to formulate these rankings. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 Consistent with previous studies, 5 , 6 the present study found that applicants question the accuracy of Doximity reputation rankings. Despite this apprehension, the present study indicated that Doximity reputation rankings influence the application, interview choice, and match list rankings of applicants, suggesting that applicants will use whatever information is available to evaluate residency programs.…”

“…Doximity reputation rankings are derived from surveys sent to board-certified physicians and modeled after the annual physician survey from which U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals rankings are calculated 2 . Previous studies have called into question the validity of the Doximity reputation rankings due to the lack of objective and outcome-based data used to formulate these rankings 3, 4, 5, 6. Consistent with previous studies,5, 6 the present study found that applicants question the accuracy of Doximity reputation rankings.…”

“…Nonetheless, previous studies using surveys have shown that Doximity reputation rankings influence applicants' behaviors when applying to and ranking residency programs 5, 6. To date, there are no large cohort studies evaluating the impact of DRN on medical students' residency selection across a wide distribution of GME programs.…”

“… 3 , 4 Nonetheless, previous studies using surveys have shown that Doximity reputation rankings influence applicants' behaviors when applying to and ranking residency programs. 5 , 6 To date, there are no large cohort studies evaluating the impact of DRN on medical students' residency selection across a wide distribution of GME programs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess residency applicants' use and perceptions of DRN and to analyze the effect of Doximity reputation rankings on the application, interview acceptance, and match list rankings of applicants at a single sponsoring institution.…”

Association of Doximity Ranking and Residency Program Characteristics Across 16 Specialty Training Programs

“…7 A survey of medical students applying for emergency medicine residency demonstrated that nearly a quarter of applicants make changes to their rank list based on Doximity rankings. 8 Subjective reviews of residency programs are a driving factor of Doximity rank methodology, 9 specifying that in addition to objective data (eg, alumni research output, board examination pass rate, and other measures), subjective information such as ''current resident and recent alumni satisfaction data'' and ''reputation data'' constitutes 2 of 3 major parts of Doximity ranking methodology. Doximity collects reputation data through annual surveys of current and graduated residents, who are asked to nominate up to 5 residency programs.…”