Higher clinical performance during a surgical clerkship is independently associated with matriculation of medical students into general surgery.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of our study was to determine the predictive impact of individual academic measures for the matriculation of senior medical students into a general surgery residency.


METHODS
Academic records were evaluated for third-year medical students (n = 781) at a single institution between 2004 and 2011. Cohorts were defined by student matriculation into either a general surgery residency program (n = 58) or a non-general surgery residency program (n = 723). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate independently significant academic measures.


RESULTS
Clinical evaluation raw scores were predictive of general surgery matriculation (P = .014). In addition, multivariate modeling showed lower United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores to be independently associated with matriculation into general surgery (P = .007).


CONCLUSIONS
Superior clinical aptitude is independently associated with general surgical matriculation. This is in contrast to the negative correlation United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores have on general surgery matriculation. Recognizing this, surgical clerkship directors can offer opportunities for continued surgical education to students showing high clinical aptitude, increasing their likelihood of surgical matriculation.
Department of General Surgery, Professional Building, Suite 810, Rush University Medical Center, 1725 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Shaun C
SC
Daly
Department of General Surgery, Professional Building, Suite 810, Rush University Medical Center, 1725 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Rebecca A
RA
Deal
Department of General Surgery, Professional Building, Suite 810, Rush University Medical Center, 1725 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Daniel E
DE
Rinewalt
Department of General Surgery, Professional Building, Suite 810, Rush University Medical Center, 1725 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Amanda B
AB
Francescatti
Department of General Surgery, Professional Building, Suite 810, Rush University Medical Center, 1725 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Minh B
MB
Luu
Department of General Surgery, Professional Building, Suite 810, Rush University Medical Center, 1725 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Keith W
KW
Millikan
Office of Medical Student Programs, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Mary C
MC
Anderson
Department of General Surgery, Professional Building, Suite 810, Rush University Medical Center, 1725 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Electronic address: jonathan_myers@rush.edu.
Jonathan A
JA
Myers
D000328:Adult; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000379:methods*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013043:Specialties, Surgical / Q000193:education*; D013337:Students, Medical; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States
Academic measures; General surgery; Predictors; Residency