BACKGROUND: Identification of successful general surgical residents remains a challenging endeavor for program directors with a national attrition of approximately 20% per year. The Big 5 personality traits and the Grit Scale have been extensively studied in many industries, and certain traits are associated with professional or academic success. However, their utility in surgery resident selection is unknown. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of all categorical surgery residents (n = 34) at the University of Texas Medical Branch from 2015 to 2017. Current residents were classified into low performing (n = 12) or non-low performing (n = 22) based on residency performance and standardized test scores. Groups were assessed for differences in both conventional metrics used for selection and Big 5 and grit scores using bivariate analysis and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Personality testing was administered to recent resident applicants (n = 81). Applicants were ranked using conventional application information. We then examined the applicants' personalities and their rank position with personality characteristics of non-low-performing residents to determine if there was any correlation. RESULTS: The Big 5 personality test identified significantly higher extroversion, conscientiousness, and emotional stability scores in those residents classified as non-low performers. There was no significant difference in conventional metrics or in grit scores between non-low performers and low performers. Our final rank does not correlate well with personality traits of non-low performers. CONCLUSIONS: The Big 5 test may prove to be a useful adjunct to the traditional residency application in identifying applicants who may become successful in general surgery residency.
BACKGROUND: Identification of successful general surgical residents remains a challenging endeavor for program directors with a national attrition of approximately 20% per year. The Big 5 personality traits and the Grit Scale have been extensively studied in many industries, and certain traits are associated with professional or academic success. However, their utility in surgery resident selection is unknown. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of all categorical surgery residents (n = 34) at the University of Texas Medical Branch from 2015 to 2017. Current residents were classified into low performing (n = 12) or non-low performing (n = 22) based on residency performance and standardized test scores. Groups were assessed for differences in both conventional metrics used for selection and Big 5 and grit scores using bivariate analysis and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Personality testing was administered to recent resident applicants (n = 81). Applicants were ranked using conventional application information. We then examined the applicants' personalities and their rank position with personality characteristics of non-low-performing residents to determine if there was any correlation. RESULTS: The Big 5 personality test identified significantly higher extroversion, conscientiousness, and emotional stability scores in those residents classified as non-low performers. There was no significant difference in conventional metrics or in grit scores between non-low performers and low performers. Our final rank does not correlate well with personality traits of non-low performers. CONCLUSIONS: The Big 5 test may prove to be a useful adjunct to the traditional residency application in identifying applicants who may become successful in general surgery residency.
Authors: Zeyad Khoushhal; Mohamad A Hussain; Elisa Greco; Muhammad Mamdani; Subodh Verma; Ori Rotstein; Andrea C Tricco; Mohammed Al-Omran Journal: JAMA Surg Date: 2017-03-01 Impact factor: 14.766
Authors: Dimitrios Stefanidis; Nicholas E Anton; Graham McRary; Lisa D Howley; Manuel Pimentel; Cameron Davis; Ashley M Yurco; Nick Sevdalis; Charles Brown Journal: Am J Surg Date: 2016-08-22 Impact factor: 2.565
Authors: Marie A Chisholm-Burns; Patti Berg-Poppe; Christina A Spivey; Joy Karges-Brown; Anne Pithan Journal: Am J Pharm Educ Date: 2021-07-22 Impact factor: 2.047
Authors: Francisco José Barbosa-Camacho; Roberto Carlos Miranda-Ackerman; Itzel Vázquez-Reyna; Vania Brickelia Jimenez-Ley; Francisco Javier Barrera-López; Vianca Seleste Contreras-Cordero; Veronica Alexandra Sánchez-López; Tom Jilmer Castillo-Valverde; Claudina Del Carmen Lamas-Abbadie; Brenda Alicia González-Adán; Ana Olivia Cortes-Flores; Gilberto Morgan-Villela; Guillermo Alonso Cervantes-Cardona; Gabino Cervantes-Guevara; Clotilde Fuentes-Orozco; Alejandro González-Ojeda Journal: BMC Psychol Date: 2020-03-14
Authors: James A Berry; Dario A Marotta; Paras Savla; Emilio C Tayag; Saman Farr; Rida Javaid; Daniel K Berry; Sara E Buckley; Anna Rogalska; Dan E Miulli Journal: Cureus Date: 2021-06-26