Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship Selection Criteria: A National Fellowship Director Survey.
BACKGROUND
Desirable candidate characteristics for aesthetic surgery fellowship applicants remain unknown because of a lack of data in the literature.


OBJECTIVE
This study aims to identify the criteria used to select applicants for aesthetic surgery fellowship in the United States.


METHODS
A 38-question survey was sent in April 2015 to all directors of fellowships endorsed by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (n = 20) in the United States. The survey investigated various factors including residency training and fellowship interview. A 5-point Likert scale was used to grade 33 influential factors from 1 ("not at all important") to 5 ("essential"); a separate 5-point Likert scale was used for 5 controversial factors from 1 ("very negative impact") to 5 ("very positive impact").


RESULTS
Sixty-five percent (13 out of 20) of directors responsed. The most important factors were letters of recommendation by well-established plastic surgeons (4.6 ± 0.7), interpersonal skills (4.5 ± 0.8), overall interview performance (4.5 ± 0.7), professionalism and ethics (4.4 ± 1.0), and letters of recommendation by aesthetic surgeons (4.4 ± 1.2). The least important factors were Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society membership (1.8 ± 0.6), postgraduate degrees (1.9 ± 0.9), US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK)/Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) Level 2 Cognitive Evaluation and USMLE/COMLEX Step 3 score (1.9 ± 0.9), and research fellowships (2.0 ± 0.6).


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides data on the aesthetic surgery fellowship directors' perceptions about the criteria important for applicant selection. We trust that fellowship directors, residency programs, and applicants find this data useful as they prepare for the aesthetic surgery fellowship match.
Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA. Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
Francesco M
FM
Egro
Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA. Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
Ololade T
OT
Saliu
Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA. Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
Foad
F
Nahai
Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA. Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
Vu T
VT
Nguyen
D002755:Choice Behavior; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D010560:Personnel Selection; D008486:Physician Executives / Q000523:psychology*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000193:education*; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States