Trends in Pediatric Orthopedic Fellowship Invited Perspective

Abstract

In this first publication of a two-part series on the pediatric orthopedic workforce supply and demand, we aim to analyze and discuss recent trends in pediatric orthopedic fellowship match data over the past five years. North American applicants successfully match at a 99.6% rate, and International medical graduates successfully match at a 43% rate. The number of applications submitted, interviews attended, and applicants ranked per program have all increased in recent years. Amongst, International medical graduate applicants, interviewing at 5 programs or more yields a 6.69 times more likely chance of successfully matching. Fellowship program directors report that the interview day performance and letters of recommendation are the 2 most important factors influencing rank position. Applicants matched at programs they ranked top 3 at an over 90% rate in the 2019 and 2020 match. The newer POSNA accreditating body aims to establish a standard for a comprehensive pediatric orthopedic training, and may become an important consideration for future fellowship applicants. With consideration of the workforce demand, this publication aims to provide information to answer whether these recent trends in the pediatric orthopedic fellowship match can address the needs of the workforce.