Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the resident selection criteria used by integrated plastic surgery programs.

Methods: A three-section questionnaire was sent out to all twenty integrated plastic surgery program directors in the United States. In the first section, respondents were asked to rank the importance of 19 potential characteristics which program directors might use to evaluate a candidate. The second section of the survey consisted of “softer” criteria such as age, gender and overall appearance. The third section surveyed other important qualities of the integrated plastic surgery candidate.

Results: The results of the first survey showed that the most significant criteria were Alpha Omega Alpha membership, followed by letters of recommendation, publications, and USMLE scores. The second section found leadership qualities to be the most important criteria. The third survey found that the single most important characteristic in a plastic surgery resident was honesty.

Conclusion: The study allowed us to determine the most important criteria used by program directors to select plastic surgery residents. The three-section approach showed that program directors in plastic surgery use both subjective and objective qualities of individuals when selecting residents.