Regional Trends for the 2021 COVID-19 Independent Plastic Surgery Match Cycle

Abstract

Introduction: The coronavirus disease (COVID) created an abrupt change to virtual experiences and interviews for both the integrated and independent plastic surgery match cycle of 2021. Studies have shown that during the 2021 match cycle, integrated applicants were more likely to match at their home institution and region of medical school. These geographic and location trends for the 2021 match cycle have not been explored yet for the independent plastic surgery match.Methods: Information for independent plastic surgery applicants that successfully matched was gathered using publicly available data for the 2019 and 2020 pre-COVID and 2021 COVID match cycles. Zip codes for applicant medical school, applicant residency program, and plastic surgery program were gathered to compare regional and distance outcomes between the pre-COVID and COVID match cycles.Results: Data was collected on 182 applicants from 42 programs. There was no significant difference in the breakdown of gender percentages between the COVID match cycle (63.2% males) and the pre-COVID match cycles (72% males) (p=0.23). The COVID match cycle had 38.6% of applicants match at a plastics program within the same region as their residency, while the pre-COVID match cycles had 47.2% of applicants match the same region (p=0.28). These results continued to be nonsignificant when stratified by the regions of the west, south, midwest, and northeast (p=1.00). With regional matches with respect to medical school, the COVID match cycle had 33.3% of applicants match at a plastics program within the same region as their medical school, while the pre-COVID match cycles had 43.6% (p=0.20). These results continued to be nonsignificant when stratified by the four regions (p=1.00). When comparing the median distances between the COVID match cycle and the pre-COVID match cycle, no region of the United States showed a significant difference in travel distance to a plastics program with respect to medical school or residency (p=1.00).Conclusion: Transitions to virtual interviews and cancellation of away rotations during the COVID match cycle for the independent plastic surgery match did not significantly affect an applicant's ability to match outside of their region of previous medical school or residency. This may represent diminished program preference for applicants within the same region as their plastic residency.

Independent Plastic Surgery Match Regional Trends Comparing In-person and Virtual Interview Cycles

“…These trends were significant, which is a new finding relative to the prior study of only the 2019–2021 interview cycles. 21 For integrated programs, there was a transient increase in home program matches (25.12%) during the first COVID-19 cycle of 2021, which was higher than 2016–2020 and 2022 cycles’ home program match average (17.69%). 25 In contrast, independent program match trends did not transiently change during the 2021 cycle, and instead there is a sustained trend towards matching into a different region when interviews are virtual (2021–2023 cycles).…”

“…20 However, when looking at those applying to the independent pathway, there was no significant change in match rate to home program or within the same region of the country in 2021 as compared with 2019 and 2020 pre-COVID-19 years. 21 This study expands upon this trend by including more virtual interview cycle years.…”

The Neurosurgery Match: COVID-19 Comparison and Bibliometric Analysis

“…Few studies have investigated the effects of COVID-19 on changes in gender composition of the Match, but those studies that investigated this have found similar findings in plastic surgery as in our analysis, as well as a similar gender makeup overall. 14 This stagnation of the ratio of male-to-female applicants is particularly interesting given the recent push for an increase in women in neurosurgery. 15 , 16 Despite the efforts that have been made to increase female representation in neurosurgery, this stagnation may be due to a variety of factors, such as limited role models and mentorships for women or a lack of interest in the career due cultural and institutional factors, such as limited support for work-life balance or an absence of initiatives specifically targeting gender diversity with the specialty.…”

Students Matriculating into Integrated Plastic Surgery: Are all Medical Schools Equal?

“…3 Recent studies demonstrated geographic biases in the PS match, with an increase in students matching to their home programs in the 2021 match following clinical and interview limitations in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. [4][5][6][7][8] Lack of affiliated residency programs is associated with less academic mentorship, fewer clinical exposures, and difficulty obtaining relevant letters of recommendation. 1,3,9 However, to our knowledge, no study investigated the association of individual medical school's level of PS clinical exposure with their student match rate in this specialty.…”

“…A prior analysis of 2016 to 2021 PS matches demonstrated that medical students from schools with affiliated integrated PS residency programs comprised about 72% of PS matches, while those from allopathic schools without affiliated programs comprised about 24%; osteopathic and international medical graduates made up less than 5% of PS matches 3 . Recent studies demonstrated geographic biases in the PS match, with an increase in students matching to their home programs in the 2021 match following clinical and interview limitations in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic 4–8 . Lack of affiliated residency programs is associated with less academic mentorship, fewer clinical exposures, and difficulty obtaining relevant letters of recommendation 1,3,9 .…”