Perceptions of the Educational and Institutional Impact of the Orthopaedic Fellowship Interview Process

INTRODUCTION: The time spent applying and interviewing for an orthopaedic fellowship has notable financial, educational, and workflow consequences on both residents and their respective residency programs. The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions regarding the fellowship interview process to suggest changes that could be implemented. METHODS: Mixed-response questionnaires were sent to orthopaedic surgery residency program directors (PDs) and PGY-4 to PGY-6 residents at the 164 accredited allopathic orthopaedic surgery residency programs in the United States (August 2017). RESULTS: Significantly more PDs believed that time away for fellowship interviews negatively affected resident education compared with residents (68% versus 25%, 48 of 65 versus 28 of 113; P < 0.001). About half of all PDs and residents noted a specific amount of time granted for interviews (range, 3 to 20 days). Seventy-one percent of residents included in this study would favor regionally coordinated interview dates. CONCLUSIONS: Orthopaedic surgery residents and PDs perceive differences in the impact of the fellowship interview process on resident education and means for improvement of the process. Two-tiered or regionally coordinated interviews are favored as changes that could be implemented.