BACKGROUND: The intense competition for orthopedic surgery residency positions influences the interview process. The financial impact on residency applicants is less well understood. The purpose of the present study was to define the economic burden of the orthopedic surgery residency interview process while additionally describing how applicants finance the expense. METHODS: We distributed surveys to 48 nonrotating applicants at our institution's residency interview days for the 2015 match year. The survey consisted of eleven questions specific to the costs of interviewing for orthopedic surgery residency positions. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 90% (43/48). Applicants applied to a median of 65 orthopedic surgery residency programs (range 21-88) and targeted a median of 15 interviews (range 12-25). The mean cost estimate for a single interview was $450 (range $200-800) and the cost estimate for all interviews was $7,119 (range $2,500-15,000). Applicants spent a mean of $344 (range $0-750) traveling to our interview. Seventy-two percent borrowed money to finance their interview costs and 28% canceled interviews for financial reasons. CONCLUSIONS: The financial cost of interviewing for orthopedic surgery is substantial and a majority of applicants add to their educational debt by taking out loans to finance interviews. Future considerations should be made to minimize these costs for an already financially burdened population.
BACKGROUND: The intense competition for orthopedic surgery residency positions influences the interview process. The financial impact on residency applicants is less well understood. The purpose of the present study was to define the economic burden of the orthopedic surgery residency interview process while additionally describing how applicants finance the expense. METHODS: We distributed surveys to 48 nonrotating applicants at our institution's residency interview days for the 2015 match year. The survey consisted of eleven questions specific to the costs of interviewing for orthopedic surgery residency positions. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 90% (43/48). Applicants applied to a median of 65 orthopedic surgery residency programs (range 21-88) and targeted a median of 15 interviews (range 12-25). The mean cost estimate for a single interview was $450 (range $200-800) and the cost estimate for all interviews was $7,119 (range $2,500-15,000). Applicants spent a mean of $344 (range $0-750) traveling to our interview. Seventy-two percent borrowed money to finance their interview costs and 28% canceled interviews for financial reasons. CONCLUSIONS: The financial cost of interviewing for orthopedic surgery is substantial and a majority of applicants add to their educational debt by taking out loans to finance interviews. Future considerations should be made to minimize these costs for an already financially burdened population.
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