Jennifer M. Weiss, MD, FAAOS | Victoria Bergstein, BA
November 10, 2025
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Read a guest post from the chair of the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society Medical Student Committee on how best to get involved during medical school.
The first year of medical school is an extraordinarily exciting period marked by rapid learning and personal growth, but it also brings many uncertainties. For students with an early interest in orthopaedic surgery, this stage can feel particularly daunting as they begin to consider how best to explore the field, establish mentorship, and build a foundation for what will eventually be a competitive residency application. This article outlines key strategies for students to consider at the start of their first year to help navigate these challenges and set the stage for success.
1Find Mentors Early
Finding a great mentor early in medical school is essential for many reasons. Breaking into the field of orthopaedic surgery can feel intimidating, but having guidance from those who have successfully navigated the path provides invaluable direction.
There is a great amount of literature to support the benefits of mentorship as a medical student. Studies show that benefits to the mentees can include “career counseling, professional development, personal growth, attainment of clinical knowledge and skills, in-depth insight into a subspecialty of interest, prevention of burnout, and opportunities for research involvement”.1 Moreover, strong mentoring relationships are mutually beneficial, as mentors often see their research productivity enhanced by the contributions of motivated student researchers. Ultimately, having long-standing, strong mentorship relationships can become vital during the residency application process, when mentors can provide key advocacy.
However, it can often be difficult to find a mentor, especially for students who do not have access to an orthopaedic surgery residency program at their medical school. Additionally, for female (or underrepresented populations) medical students, access to a female orthopaedic surgeon in the area may be limited in light of the remaining gender disparity in the field.2
Valuable mentors can be found in upper-class medical students, residents, fellows, and attendings. These relationships can be fostered within a student’s home program and beyond. For those without a home orthopaedic surgery program, local private practice surgeons can be an invaluable resource in addition to academically affiliated surgeons regionally and nationally. Reaching out to potential mentors can be accomplished through cold emailing and expressing interest, connecting on social media, or introductions at conferences.3 Additionally, several mentorship platforms and professional societies offer structure and resources for establishing these relationships, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society, the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society, Pride Ortho, Nth Dimension, Medical Student Orthopaedic Society and OrthoMentor.1
2Get Involved in Research
Especially since the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 exam has gone to a pass/fail scoring system, research has become even more important for orthopaedic residency applications. Research output among orthopaedic surgery residency applicants quadrupled from 2007 to 2021.4 One study showed that attendings view the number of publications as important for orthopaedic residency applications, with many identifying a minimum of 2 or 3 publications to be considered competitive at their program.5
Given this increasingly competitive landscape, identifying research opportunities early is important. Doing so during one’s first year of medical school can be advantageous, as this provides ample time for the article review and revision process, and permits time and availability to participate in multiple research projects.
Students should look for research labs at their institution that heavily involve medical students, or reach out individually to attending principal investigators. For students who have time off during the summer between M1 and M2 year[1], applying to a summer research fellowship can be a great way to find research opportunities at other institutions. The biggest key for research is to be curious and ask questions about the world around you. While it is expected that first-year medical students may not yet have the knowledge base to know what questions to ask, being involved in research and exploring gaps in the literature create the foundation for that insight to develop in the future. While research itself is a valuable educational tool, it additionally serves as a conduit for developing relationships with residents and faculty, which ultimately can blossom into mentorship.
3Join and Lead Organizations
Participation and leadership in organizations is not only a positive addition to a future residency application, but is also a way to create relationships and dive deeper into areas of interest during medical school.
Many medical schools have an orthopaedic surgery interest group (OSIG), and OSIG involvement and leadership has multitudes of benefits. One study showed that OSIG involvement is associated with higher match rates into orthopaedic surgery, and faculty consider OSIG and other student group involvement as being important factors of residency applications.6 Other studies showed that in a survey of matched orthopaedic surgery applicants, 38% served as presidents of a student interest group and 35% held other executive positions, and 90% of those student leaders matched at their top choice for residency.7
Getting involved in medical school OSIG or women in orthopaedics chapters are great ways to network with residents and attendings within a home orthopaedics program, and events hosted by these groups can provide insightful exposure to orthopaedics concepts. For example, many OSIGs will host sawbones labs and panels where students can learn about the fundamentals of orthopaedics that are not covered in a medical school curriculum. Applying for national leadership opportunities can further expand networking and mentorship opportunities. The medical student orthopaedic society (MSOS) and RJOS are among organizations with national medical student boards which connect students with faculty and peers across the country and provide invaluable exposure to the broader orthopaedic community.
Engagement in extracurricular activities outside of orthopaedic surgery is equally important, as it provides valuable insight into an applicant’s character, attributes, and values. These experiences often serve as excellent material for interview discussions and can help applicants distinguish themselves. Most importantly, they allow students to pursue meaningful and enjoyable interests, offering balance and fulfillment during the otherwise demanding and stressful years of medical school.8
Final Thoughts
The journey into orthopaedic surgery begins well before the residency application, and the first year of medical school is the ideal time to start laying the foundation. By seeking out mentors, engaging in meaningful research, and becoming active leaders both within and beyond orthopaedics, students can develop the skills, relationships, and experiences that will shape their future careers. While the path may seem daunting at first, taking intentional steps early on makes the journey more manageable and prepares students to craft a competitive residency application.
References
1. Aiyer AA, Mody KS, Dib AG, et al. Medical Student Mentorship in Orthopaedic Surgery. JAAOS – J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2021;29(16):681. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-20-01274
2. Brook EM, Hu CH, Li X, Smith EL, Matzkin EG. The Influence of Mentors in Orthopedic Surgery. Orthopedics. 2020;43(1):e37-e42. doi:10.3928/01477447-20191122-02
3. Murali S, Harris AB, Snow M, LaPorte D, Aiyer A. The Mentee Perspective: Evaluating Mentorship of Medical Students in the Field of Orthopaedic Surgery. JAAOS Glob Res Rev. 2023;7(11):e22.00267. doi:10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-22-00267
4. Martinez VH, Quirarte JA, Smith MD, Gibbons SD, Rose RA. The Competitiveness of Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Programs: A Twenty-year Analysis Utilizing a Normalized Competitive Index. Surg Pract Sci. 2023;12:100155. doi:10.1016/j.sipas.2023.100155
5. White RC, Vutukuri R, Saraf SM, Rumps MV, Mulcahey MK. The Value of Research in the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Applicant: A Pilot Survey of Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program Directors. JB JS Open Access. 2025;10(2):e24.00216. doi:10.2106/JBJS.OA.24.00216
6. Milner JE, Granger C, Cannada LK, Aiyer A. The Importance of Mentorship and Interest Group Involvement for the Orthopedic Surgery Applicant. Iowa Orthop J. 2022;42(2):1-7.
7. Avendano JP, Buchanan BK, Thai S, ElNemer W, Marrache M, LaPorte DM. Extracurricular and leadership experiences of matched orthopaedic surgery applicants: a cross-sectional survey study. Curr Orthop Pract. 2025;36(5):e1325. doi:10.1097/BCO.0000000000001325
8. Aiyer A, Egol K, Parvizi J, Schwartz A, Mehta S. Orthopaedic surgery: perspectives on matching into residency. Curr Orthop Pract. 2016;27(1):98. doi:10.1097/BCO.0000000000000310
[1] The first and second years of medical school
DISCLOSURES: Jennifer Weiss, MD, FAAOS is the president of the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society Victoria Bergstein, BA is the chair of the RJOS Medical Student Committee
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