Assessing fellowship match rates

[moneduloides]

One of the many factors that will go into my choosing of a general surgery program is the frequency they match individuals into pediatric surgery fellowship, as this is the path I intend to take. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a decent way of assessing this information as far as I can tell. Is there a central location that lists the pediatric surgery fellowship matches each year? Perhaps with such a list I could get an impression, with some basic Google searching, of which programs are promising in this regard. At the moment I haven't been able to find such a list publicly available.

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[Ignatius M.D.]

One of the many factors that will go into my choosing of a general surgery program is the frequency they match individuals into pediatric surgery fellowship, as this is the path I intend to take. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a decent way of assessing this information as far as I can tell. Is there a central location that lists the pediatric surgery fellowship matches each year? Perhaps with such a list I could get an impression, with some basic Google searching, of which programs are promising in this regard. At the moment I haven't been able to find such a list publicly available.

I'm also very interested in pediatric surgery. I have looked and looked but have not found such a list. The best I've found is from searching individual programs which usually have a list of alumni and their paths. Not much of a surprise, but most programs with good affiliated children's hospitals (UW->Seattle Children's, Pitt->CHP, etc.) seem to match well, though there's no way of knowing who applied that didn't get it and those are also mostly top general surgery programs anyway.

 

[moneduloides]

This has been my approach as well, and as you have noted only some programs provide such information.

 

[Buzz Me]

Please don't base your ranking primarily on what you think you may or may not want to apply to in 7-8+ years' time (1-2 more years of med school, 4 years of residency, 2+ years of research). It's great to be passionate about Peds Surg now, and by all means do some research and ask around...but there's so much more that factors into your rank list. Look at the strength of the program, its reputation, academics/didactics, research opportunities (especially for Peds Surg), location. What little information you may find online on match lists (and it will be scarce) should certainly not play as big as a role as you think.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

For those interested in Pediatric Surgery, though, it seems like most of the matching fellows came from programs that had Pediatric Surgery fellowships as well. At my training program, during my 7 years, only one fellow came from a general surgery program that didn't have a pediatric surgery program.

 

[Buzz Me]

For those interested in Pediatric Surgery, though, it seems like most of the matching fellows came from programs that had Pediatric Surgery fellowships as well. At my training program, during my 7 years, only one fellow came from a general surgery program that didn't have a pediatric surgery program.

I would say that's much more important - academic programs connected to a Peds Surg program...not just whatever Match lists you may be able to scrounge up from Google.

 

[joehuf]

As a current pedisurg fellow I would add two things

1) Agree with above, I think residents associated with a fellowship program have an inside track. Even if you don't match at your own program, the peds surgery world is small and it is likely your program director will know the other program directors and put a good word in for you

2) Better advice though is choose a program strong in a lot of subspecialties, not just peds. In my experience less than 30% of interns who "love peds surgery" end up going through the match. Many once they discover the time that's required for research (2 years +) and come to the realization that pedi surg is one of the least "lifestyle friendly" specialties, find other interests. Not to discourage you but I think its a good idea to keep your options open and choose a general surgery program for good general surgery training and not just peds surgery.

 

[goooooober]

I agree, as someone who came to my program because of its strong ped surg experience only to change my mind during my 4th clinical year and 6th year overall after 2 years of research. I literally changed my mind about peds 2 months before applying after wanting to do it since high school. With good exposure, I realized I would not be happy as a ped surgeon.

Fortunately, my program is very strong in everything, making the pursuit of something different very easy. So go somewhere that is strong in everything and gives you a great exposure and experience so that first you will be sure that there is nothing else you like better and you want to do peds, and second, if you do change your mind, you can match into a great program in a different specialty.