Have orthopedic programs upped their filters since 2016?

[2021Doctor]

During the 2015/2016 application cycle, 151 US ACGME-approved allopathic orthopaedic surgery residency programs were identified by
the Electronic Residency Application Service. Survey responses were received between January 2016 and July 2016 from 113 of the 151 programs (75%). One program did not have the information requested in the survey and five programs declined participation, resulting in analysis of 107 responses.
Eighty-nine programs (83%) used a minimum Step1 score criterion with 71 of the PDs noting that the minimum Step 1 score was a “hard” cutoff.
Eighty-three programs (78%) required a Step 1 score > 210, 80 (75%) required a score > 220, 57(53%) required a score > 230, and 22 (21%) required a score > 240.
Two PDs indicated the use of geographic considerations to filter applicants in addition to requiring a minimum Step 1 score. One PD used a maximum Step 1 and 2 score criteria in addition to a minimum score, with the filtering out of applicants scoring > 270.
Seventy-five programs (70%) did not have a minimum criterion for Step 2 scores.
Of the 83 responders who noted having a minimum score criterion, 49 (59%) have increased the minimum Step 1 and/or 2 score or scores in recent years or plan to do so in coming years.
DISCUSSION:
A large proportion of orthopaedic surgery residency PDs use a USMLE Step 1 minimum score when screening applications in an effort to reduce the number of applications to be reviewed.

A Cross-sectional Analysis of Minimum USMLE Step 1 and 2 Criteria Used by Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Programs in Screening Residency Applications - PubMed

A large proportion of orthopaedic surgery residency PDs use a USMLE Step 1 minimum score when screening applications in an effort to reduce the number of applications to be reviewed.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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[slowthai]

One PD used a maximum Step 1 and 2 score criteria in addition to a minimum score, with the filtering out of applicants scoring > 270.

Haha, screening out the nerdddss.

Sorry, that wasn't helpful. But that's amazing.

I expect them to have increased their filters just because of the increasingly crazy level of competition.

 

[GoSpursGo]

This is almost certainly true across all specialties as the number of applications increases each year, and isn't specific to ortho.

 

[You shall know the Truth]

This is almost certainly true across all specialties as the number of applications increases each year, and isn't specific to ortho.

Would you happen to know or can you surmise why?

 

[GoSpursGo]

Would you happen to know or can you surmise why?

Again... because the number of applications is increasing each year, and they don't have the bandwidth to review them all.

 

[You shall know the Truth]

Again... because the number of applications is increasing each year, and they don't have the bandwidth to review them all.

That’s an interesting ratiocination. Why would they not increase the minimum score and include to upper most eschalon?

 

[GoSpursGo]

That’s an interesting ratiocination. Why would they not increase the minimum score and include to upper most eschalon?

THAT is not common. If you read the abstract, only 1/83 PDs reported doing that. In that case it's almost certainly because the PD knows that they are a mid-low tier program, and the applicants with such high scores are likely only applying because they see them as a backup.