Liana Tedesco, MD | Andrew S Moon, MD
April 9, 2024
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Everyone wants to know what the secret sauce is when it comes to matching into residency. The answer is YOU! Residency programs are looking for hard working, teachable, and focused medical students who have a passion for their field. Due to the nature of the process, often the first way students are evaluated is on paper – grades, standardized test scores, number of publications. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg! We will provide some tips on how to maximize your ability to match into orthopedic surgery.
1Grades
In your pre-clinical years, even if classes are pass/fail, do your best! While not necessarily something you can see on your application, this is where you build your fund of clinical knowledge. The hard work you put in during this time will pay off when it comes to impressing attendings on clinical rotations and on standardized testing. When you are in your clinical years, make sure to immerse yourself in whatever rotation you are on so that you can do well on the rotation and shelf exams. The fundamentals of being a strong medical student will set you up for success when you go on your orthopaedic sub-internships.
2Standardized scores
Now that Step 1 is pass-fail, there are fewer objective measures programs can use to compare medical students. Therefore, it is even more important now to get a competitive score on Step 2. You can look at prior match data to see average scores for matching into orthopaedics and other fields, which can provide a benchmark or a goal for you. It may be beneficial to take your Step 2 exam sooner than later, so you have an idea of how your score compares to others applying to the field. If you are thinking of taking a research year, we still suggest taking Step 2 earlier so that you can understand if there are additional places you may need to improve your application. It is also nice to have it out of the way, so you can focus on doing well on your orthopaedic away rotations or during your research.
3Research
Doing research is now the standard for most applicants and has become more of a requirement than a way to stand out. However, the way to use research to help yourself stand out is to complete a meaningful project. If you get involved in research early in your medical school career, you are more likely to have something more substantial. This does not necessarily have to be in orthopaedics, though if you have any inkling this may be your area of interest, we recommend pursuing it. Having publications on your CV when applying to residency demonstrates that you are able to see a research project through to completion and, in turn, your interest in the field. Even if a project isn’t published by the time you apply, you can submit the abstract for a completed project to conferences such as the AAOS Annual Meeting. Poster sessions and podium presentations are other great ways to boost your CV. These meetings are also valuable networking opportunities to meet people in the field. An interesting research project can also be something to discuss in your interviews, and many programs will ask questions related to your research involvement during medical school.
4Mentors
Finding a close and supportive mentor is one of the most valuable things you can do – not only for matching into orthopaedics, but also for your career. Finding at least one mentor is important and should be organic. Start with shadowing and research, which can often blossom into the clinic and OR settings. Further, you should not limit your number of mentors and look to connect with multiple orthopedic surgeons who can help to grow your passion for orthopedic surgery and offer advice as well as support throughout the process. Having a mentor who can vouch for you and write you a strong letter of recommendation is an incredibly important aspect of this process. You will need several letters of recommendation when applying for residency, so try to get involved early with the orthopaedic surgery department at your home institution.
5Networking
As previously stated, getting to know the faculty of your home program early helps to build your network and increase your number of mentors. These attendings are who will advocate for you when the time comes for interviews and rank list. You can also reach out to faculty at other institutions to see if they are willing to have a chat with you. Many attendings enjoyed speaking with the younger generation and are eager to make an impact on your early career.
We also recommend getting to know the residents at your home program. They can be an important lynchpin between you and faculty as far as research is concerns. In addition, they also are closest to the process and may understand some of the nuances of residency application better than senior faculty.
If the opportunity presents itself and you attend the AAOS Annual Meeting, make sure to take advantage of medical student programming. This is an excellent opportunity for you to meet other medical students going into orthopedic surgery, as well as some giants in the field of surgical education. Even if this opportunity is not available to you, other organizations like Nth Dimension, JRGOS, and RJOS, also provide medical student networking opportunities.
Why does this matter? The more people you know, the more information gathering you can do! Networking is an opportunity for others to get to know you as much as it is for you to know others.
6Away Rotations
Picking the right places to apply for away rotations is critical. It’s well known that rotating at a program increases your chances of matching at that specific place. Thus, it’s important to pick the places you think are a good fit for you. Talk to current and past residents early! This way, you can get a better idea of the program and if it might be a good fit. See where previous medical students from your school have matched in the past – they can be strong allies for you in the match process. Think of your away rotations as an audition. This can be your opportunity to shine. The residents at your home institution can teach you the basics of splinting, casting, and seeing consults, and show you ways you can be helpful to them both in the emergency department and in the operating room. You want to prepare for scheduled cases, and know the anatomy for the relevant surgical approaches. It can be stressful to be a sub-I, but try to enjoy the process – you picked orthopaedics for a reason, and this is what you’ll be doing for the rest of your career!
We do hope these tips provide a framework on how you can maximize your ability to match into orthopedic surgery. For those of you later in your medical school journey, it’s important to reflect on some of the things you may want from a training program and, ultimately, a career. You absolutely do not need to have all the answers, but thinking about this early will help you guide you when it comes to applying to away rotations and, eventually, residency programs. Lean on other medical students and residents who have been through the process, and ask them any and all questions you may have. We wish you all the best on your journey into orthopaedics – good luck!
DISCLOSURES: Dr. Tedesco This individual reported nothing to disclose. Dr. Moon This individual reported nothing to disclose
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