2018 NRMP® Program Director Survey: What do Program Directors like to see?

Well-prepared residency candidates understand they need to put together a strong, cohesive ERAS Application to give them a better chance at success in getting interviews and matching. The difficulty lies in knowing what Program Directors and Interview Committees like to see in the application  

To help glimpse into the expectations of Program Directors and their staff, NRMP® conducts a bi-yearly survey with over 1,300 responses from Program Directors. The data was compiled in a document called Results of the 2018 NRMP Program Director Survey. Among the information gathered, Program Directors were asked to cite factors they used to select candidates for interviews. They were also asked to rate each factor on a scale from 1 (least important) to 5 (most important).

Below are the top 5 most important factors by percentage and rating for all specialties by percentage cited and rating. Also included are the top 5 factors by percentage and rating for the 18 specialties offered by Match A Resident. You may notice that many of the individual specialties reflect the top overall factors, but some specialties have differences. Be sure to review the specialties you are interested in carefully.

Top 5 Factors Cited by Program Directors:

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (94%)
  2. Specialty Specific Letters of Recommendation (86%)  
  3. MSPE (81%)
  4. USMLE Step 2 CK (80%)
  5. Personal Statement (78%)

Top 5 Most Highly Ranked Factors by Program Directors (On a scale from 1 to 5):

  1. Applicant flagged by NRMP (4.8)
  2. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.5), Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.5)
  3. Perceived commitment to specialty (4.3), Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.3)
  4. Specialty Specific Letters of Recommendation (4.2), Personal prior knowledge of applicant (4.2), Audition elective/rotation within department (4.2), Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (4.2)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (4.1), Grades in required clerkship (4.1), Leadership qualities (4.1), Perceived interest in the program (4.1), Visa Status (4.1)

Anesthesiology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (97%)
  2. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (88%)
  3. MSPE (84%), Grades in required clerkship (84%)
  4. Class Ranking/quartile (83%)
  5. USMLE Step 2 CK (79%), Personal Statement (79%), Any failed attempt in USMLE (79%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.7), Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.7)
  2. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.5)
  3. USMLE Step 1 score (4.4), Lack of gaps in medical education (4.4)
  4. USMLE Step 2 CK (4.3), Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (4.3)
  5. MSPE (4.2), Grades in required clerkship (4.2), Personal prior knowledge of applicant (4.2), Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.2), Audition elective/rotation within department (4.2), Leadership qualities (4.2), Consistency of grades (4.2)

Child Neurology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (100%)
  2. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (91%), MSPE (91%)
  3. USMLE Step 2 CK score (88%), Perceived commitment to specialty (88%)
  4. Grades in required clerkships (85%)
  5. Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (82%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.8)
  2. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.6)
  3. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.5), Perceived commitment to specialty (4.5)
  4. Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (4.4)
  5. Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.3)

Dermatology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (100%), Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (100%)
  2. Perceived commitment to specialty (94%), Evidence of professionalism and ethics (94%)
  3. Personal Statement (89%), Grades in required clerkships (89%), Perceived interest in program (89%)
  4. MSPE (83%), USMLE Step 2 CK score (83%), Personal prior knowledge of applicant (83%), Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) membership (83%), Volunteer/Extracurricular activities (83%)
  5. Other life experience (78%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)  

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.7), Visa Status (4.7), Personal prior knowledge of applicant (4.7)
  2. Audition elective/rotation within department (4.5)
  3. MSPE (4.4), Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.4)
  4. USMLE Step 1 (4.3), Grades in required clerkships (4.3), Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.3)
  5. Interest in academic career (4.2)

Emergency Medicine

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (97%), Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (97%)
  2. USMLE Step 2 CK score (86%)
  3. Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (85%)
  4. MSPE (83%), Any failed attempt in USMLE (83%)
  5. Audition elective/rotation within department (82%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)   

  1. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (4.8)
  2. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.6), Audition elective/rotation within department (4.6), Flagged by NRMP (4.6), Away rotation in specialty at another institution (4.5)
  3. Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.5), Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.5)
  4. Personal prior knowledge of applicant (4.3)
  5. Perceived commitment to specialty (4.2)

Family Medicine

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Perceived commitment to specialty (92%)
  2. USMLE Step 1 score (89%)
  3. USMLE Step 2 CK score (87%), Personal Statement (87%)
  4. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (85%)
  5. Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (82%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.8)
  2. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.7)
  3. Perceived commitment to specialty (4.6)
  4. Perceived interest in program (4.4)
  5. Personal prior knowledge of applicant (4.3), Audition elective/rotation within department (4.3), Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (4.3)

Internal Medicine

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (95%)
  2. USMLE Step 2 CK score (90%)
  3. MSPE (85%)
  4. Any failed attempt in USMLE (81%)
  5. Class ranking/quartile (76%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.9)
  2. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.6)
  3. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.5)
  4. MSPE (4.3), USMLE Step 2 CK score (4.3), Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.3), Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (4.3)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (4.2), Class ranking/quartile (4.2)

Med/Peds

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor  

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (100%)
  2. Grades in required clerkships (85%), Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (85%)
  3. MSPE (81%)
  4. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (78%)
  5. USMLE Step 2 CK score (74%), Class ranking/quartile (74%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)  

  1. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.5)
  2. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.4)
  3. Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.3)
  4. USMLE Step 2 CK score (4.2)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (4.1), MSPE (4.1), Grades in required clerkships (4.1)

Neurosurgery

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor  

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (100%), Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (100%)
  2. Audition elective/rotation within department (88%), Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) membership (88%)
  3. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (84%)
  4. Class ranking/quartile (80%), Perceived commitment to specialty (80%), Personal prior knowledge of applicant (80%), Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (80%)
  5. MSPE (76%), Grades in required clerkships (76%), Leadership qualities (76%), Consistency of grades (76%), Demonstrated involvement and interest in research (76%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)  

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.8)
  2. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.7)
  3. USMLE Step 1 score (4.6), Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (4.6), Personal prior knowledge of applicant (4.6), Demonstrated involvement and interest in research (4.6)
  4. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.5), Perceived commitment to specialty (4.5), Interest in academic career (4.5)
  5. Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.4), Leadership qualities (4.4)

Neurology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor  

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (89%), Any failed attempt in USMLE (89%)
  2. Grades in required clerkships (86%)
  3. Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (84%)
  4. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (81%)
  5. MSPE (78%), USMLE Step 2 CK score (78%), Class ranking/quartile (78%), Lack of gaps in medical education (78%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)   

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.7)
  2. Perceived commitment to specialty (4.6), Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.6),
  3. Perceived interest in the program (4.5)
  4. Personal prior knowledge of applicant (4.4)
  5. Grades in required clerkships (4.3), Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.3), Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.3), Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (4.3), Consistency of grades (4.3), Lack of gaps in medical education (4.3)

OBGYN

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor  

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (94%)
  2. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (87%), MSPE (87%)
  3. Grades in required clerkships (85%)
  4. Personal Statement (81%)
  5. USMLE Step 2 CK score (78%), Class ranking/quartile (78%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.7), Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.7)
  2. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.5), Visa Status (4.5)
  3. Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.4)
  4. Grades in required clerkships (4.3), Leadership qualities (4.3), Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (4.3)
  5. Audition elective/rotation within department (4.2)

Orthopaedic Surgery

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor   

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (91%)
  2. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (89%)
  3. Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) membership (81%)
  4. Grades in required clerkships (79%)
  5. Audition elective/rotation within department (77%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. USMLE Step 3 score (5.0)
  2. Flagged by NRMP (4.9)
  3. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.8)
  4. Audition elective/rotation within department (4.6), Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.6), Visa Status (4.6)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (4.5)

Pathology

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor    

  1. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (95%)
  2. USMLE Step 1 score (90%)
  3. Perceived commitment to specialty (88%)
  4. USMLE Step 2 CK score (85%)
  5. Personal Statement (80%

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.9)
  2. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (4.6), Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.6), Fluency in language spoken by patient population (4.6)
  3. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.5)
  4. Perceived commitment to specialty (4.4)
  5. Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.2), Consistency of grades (4.2)

Pediatrics

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor    

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (95%)
  2. USMLE Step 2 CK score (82%)
  3. MSPE (81%)
  4. Any failed attempt in USMLE (78%)
  5. Grades in required clerkships (77%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)  

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.8)
  2. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.5), Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.5)
  3. MSPE (4.3)
  4. Leadership qualities (4.2)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (4.1), Grades in required clerkships (4.1), Personal prior knowledge of applicant (4.1), Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.1)

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor    

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (96%), Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (96%)
  2. Personal Statement (87%), Perceived commitment to specialty (87%)
  3. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (83%), MSPE (83%)
  4. USMLE Step 2 CK score (78%), Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (78%), Lack of gaps in medical education (78%)
  5. Grades in required clerkships (70%), Any failed attempt in USMLE (70%), Class ranking/quartile (70%), Audition elective/rotation within department (70%), Consistency of grades (70%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.8)
  2. Perceived commitment to specialty (4.7)
  3. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.6), Flagged by NRMP (4.6)
  4. MSPE (4.4)
  5. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (4.3), Leadership qualities (4.3), Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (4.3), Consistency of grades (4.3), Lack of gaps in medical education (4.3)

Psychiatry

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor   

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (91%), MSPE (91%)
  2. Personal Statement (90%)
  3. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (84%), USMLE Step 2 CK score (84%), Perceived commitment to specialty (84%)
  4. Personal prior knowledge of applicant (76%)
  5. Any failed attempt in USMLE (74%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)  

  1. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.9)
  2. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.5)
  3. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.4), Perceived commitment to specialty (4.4), Perceived interest in program (4.4), Visa Status (4.4)
  4. MSPE (4.3), Personal prior knowledge of applicant (4.3), Fluency in language spoken by patient population
  5. Personal Statement (4.2), Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.2), Audition elective/rotation within department (4.2), Consistency of grades (4.2), Lack of gaps in medical education (4.2)

Radiology (Diagnostic)

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor   

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (95%)
  2. MSPE (91%)
  3. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (88%)
  4. Personal Statement (84%), Grades in required clerkships (84%)
  5. Consistency of grades (79%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)   

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.8)
  2. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.5)
  3. USMLE Step 1 score (4.4), Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.4), Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.4)
  4. MSPE (4.3), Grades in required clerkships (4.3), Visa Status (4.3)
  5. Class ranking/quartile (4.2), Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (4.2)

Surgery

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor     

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (94%)
  2. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (88%)
  3. USMLE Step 2 CK score (81%)
  4. Class ranking/quartile (76%), Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (76%)
  5. MSPE (74%), Personal Statement (74%), Grades in required clerkships (74%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.8)
  2. Flagged by NRMP (4.7)
  3. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.6)
  4. USMLE Step 1 score (4.4)
  5. Perceived commitment to specialty (4.3), Personal prior knowledge of applicant (4.3), Leadership qualities (4.3)

Transitional Year

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor    

  1. USMLE Step 1 score (93%)
  2. USMLE Step 2 CK score (81%)
  3. Personal Statement (74%)
  4. MSPE (70%)
  5. Grades in required clerkships (67%), Any failed attempt in USMLE (67%), Personal prior knowledge of applicant (67%), Evidence of professionalism and ethics (67%), Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) membership (67%), Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (67%), Consistency of grades (67%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Flagged by NRMP (4.9)
  2. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.8)
  3. Evidence of professionalism and ethics (4.7)
  4. Passing USMLE Step 2 CS (4.5)
  5. USMLE Step 1 score (4.4), MSPE (4.4), Perceived commitment to specialty (4.4), Perceived interest in program (4.4), Visa Status (4.4)

 

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