Work

Navigating Failure to Match in Orthopaedic Surgery

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Orthopaedic surgery remains one of the most competitive specialties in the National Residency Matching Program. Despite the large number of medical students who do not match into orthopaedics, limited guidance exists for mentors to support these applicants. This review provides mentors with possible pathways and strategies to help ensure that applicants are best positioned to obtain a structured interim year that strengthens their research productivity, clinical experience, and faculty advocacy in preparation for reapplication. Mentors should also help applicants realistically assess their competitiveness and consider alternative specialties or parallel career pathways as part of early contingency planning. Although reapplicants face lower success rates in the orthopaedic surgery match, resilience, preparation, and mentorship can maximize their chances of a successful outcome.

Source: JBJS Open Access

DOI: 10.2106/jbjs.oa.25.00251

Authors: Benjamin Hershfeld, John M. Pirtle, Brandon Klein, Adam D. Bitterman, Randy M. Cohn

Institutions: Northwell Health, Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Huntington Hospital, University of Pennsylvania

Language: English

Topic: Medical Education and Admissions

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,250