Student Factors That Influence Clerkship Grades and Matching Into a Surgical Residency

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the relationship between medical school factors (including preclinical mentorship, order of clerkships, and clerkship grades) and matching into surgical specialties.

Design: Clerkship information, match data, and data on structured preclinical research obtained from 2010 to 2015 for a single institution was obtained and analyzed using multivariate analysis.

Setting: University of Michigan Medical School.

Participants: Seven hundred and forty-six students who took both the Internal Medicine and Surgery clerkships between 2010 and 2015 and have since participated in the match.

Results: Among 740 students studied, 243 matched into a surgical field. Higher Shelf scores were associated with higher clerkship grades in Surgery and Internal Medicine. Honors or High Pass in Surgery were associated with matching into a surgical field. Structured preclinical research in Surgery and order of clerkship were not associated with matching into a surgical field.

Conclusions: Students who went into surgery were more likely to receive Honors or High Pass. Preclinical choices geared toward a surgical specialty (e.g., order of clerkship and structured research) were not associated with matching into a surgical field. These data may help guide school specific advice for students.

Keywords: Interpersonal and Communication Skills; Professionalism; grading; mentorship; residency match; surgery education.