J. Silvestre1, I. C. Lin1, J. M. Serletti1, B. Chang1 1Perelman School Of Medicine,Division Of Plastic Surgery,Philadelphia, PA, USA
Introduction: The plastic surgery match is among the most competitive residency matches in recent years. While previous studies have correlated applicant characteristics with successful match outcomes, none have comprehensively investigated the role of geography in the Match. This study investigates regional effects in the Match.
Methods: Plastic surgery residents who matched during 2011-2015 were eligible for study inclusion. Names of residents were obtained from official residency program websites and cross-referenced with data obtained from the Student Doctor Network. For each resident, region of residency program and medical school were compared.
Results: 622 residents were identified from 67 programs. Most graduated from US medical schools (97.9%). 94 residents matched at a home institution (15.1%). Half of all residents matched in the same region as their medical school (48.9%). Programs in the South matched the greatest number of residents from the same region (60.8%) while West programs matched the least (30.8%, p < 0.001). No regional differences existed with regard to residents matching at their home institution (p = 0.268). More women matched at West programs (43.1%) versus East programs (30.6%, p < 0.05).
Conclusion: A significant number of residents matched at their home institution. Roughly half matched at a program in the same region as their medical school. Whether this regional phenomenon stems from applicant or program factors remains unknown. Yet, given the limited number of interviews and the high costs of interviewing, applicants and programs can use these data to optimize the application process.