title: How should unmatched orthopaedic surgery applicants proceed?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obtaining an orthopaedic surgery residency is competitive. Advisors must understand what factors may help unmatched candidates reapply successfully.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We determined (1) the attitude of leaders of orthopaedic surgery residency programs toward interviewing unmatched students; (2) whether a surgical internship or a research year is preferred in considering reapplicants; (3) the importance of United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores, recommendations, and Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) membership; and (4) whether academic and nonacademic programs evaluate reapplicants differently.
  
  
  METHODS
  We sent an anonymous 19-question survey to 151 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited orthopaedic surgery residency programs in five waves, 1 week apart (December 5, 2009-January 5, 2010). Investigators were blinded to the respondents' identities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-one of the 151 programs (60%) responded. Sixty-eight of the 91 programs (75%) stated they rarely accept unmatched applicants. Sixty-eight programs (75%) agreed an unmatched applicant should do a surgery internship for 1 year. Of the 36 programs that recommended a research year, 32 were academic programs. Academic programs were more likely than nonacademic programs to view as important new recommendations (85% versus 67%), minimum scores of 220 on Step I (67% versus 49%) and Step II (64% versus 36%), and AOA membership (85% versus 67%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By completing a surgical internship, unmatched students may increase their chances of matching. Students considering academic programs should ensure their academic record meets certain benchmarks and may consider a research year but risk limiting their acceptance to academic programs.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA.
authors: Nirav H
authors: NH
authors: Amin
authors: Andre M
authors: AM
authors: Jakoi
authors: Douglas L
authors: DL
authors: Cerynik
authors: Neil S
authors: NS
authors: Kumar
authors: Norman
authors: N
authors: Johanson
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States