Parsa P Salehi1, Alyssa Heiser2, Pauniz Salehi3, R Peter Manes1, Benjamin L Judson1, Babak Azizzadeh4,5, Yan Ho Lee1. 1. Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. 2. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, Vermont, USA. 3. College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA. 4. Center for Advanced Facial Plastic Surgery, Beverly Hills, California, USA. 5. Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To (1) summarize strategies proposed in the recent otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OTO-HNS) literature for improving the residency application and selection process, (2) evaluate the effects of recently implemented changes to the OTO-HNS match, and (3) discuss recommendations for future changes to the OTO-HNS residency application and selection process. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Medline Ovid database, and article reference lists. REVIEW METHODS: A structured literature search was performed to identify current English language articles relating to the objectives of this study using the aforementioned data sources, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search was limited to submissions published between January 1, 2015, and January 1, 2020. CONCLUSIONS: Numerous proposals have been made for improving the otolaryngology residency application and selection process and addressing the competitive nature of the Match. These proposals include but are not limited to mandating a secondary essay, implementing consortia and early match processes, using a signaling system, conducting regional and web-based interviews, offering early engagement with interest groups, instituting a hard cap on applications, increasing costs of applying, counseling self-restraint to prospective applicants, and creating application filters. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: As the volume of literature surrounding the OTO-HNS Match continues to increase, this review aims to provide a summary of past proposals and serve as a guide for possible future innovations. We propose 3 initiatives that may improve the residency application and selection process for both program and resident, with minimal impact to the current National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Match structure.
OBJECTIVE: To (1) summarize strategies proposed in the recent otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OTO-HNS) literature for improving the residency application and selection process, (2) evaluate the effects of recently implemented changes to the OTO-HNS match, and (3) discuss recommendations for future changes to the OTO-HNS residency application and selection process. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Medline Ovid database, and article reference lists. REVIEW METHODS: A structured literature search was performed to identify current English language articles relating to the objectives of this study using the aforementioned data sources, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search was limited to submissions published between January 1, 2015, and January 1, 2020. CONCLUSIONS: Numerous proposals have been made for improving the otolaryngology residency application and selection process and addressing the competitive nature of the Match. These proposals include but are not limited to mandating a secondary essay, implementing consortia and early match processes, using a signaling system, conducting regional and web-based interviews, offering early engagement with interest groups, instituting a hard cap on applications, increasing costs of applying, counseling self-restraint to prospective applicants, and creating application filters. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: As the volume of literature surrounding the OTO-HNS Match continues to increase, this review aims to provide a summary of past proposals and serve as a guide for possible future innovations. We propose 3 initiatives that may improve the residency application and selection process for both program and resident, with minimal impact to the current National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Match structure.
Keywords:
Match; NRMP; National Resident Matching Program; medical education; residency application; residency education; residency selection; signaling; standard letters of recommendation
Authors: Alexis E Pelletier-Bui; Benjamin H Schnapp; Liza G Smith; Doug Franzen; Elizabeth Barrall Werley; Erin McDonough; Melanie Camejo Journal: West J Emerg Med Date: 2021-12-17