The pediatric surgery match by the numbers: Defining the successful application

Pediatric surgery remains the most competitive general surgery subspecialty. The authors suspected significant inflation in academic metrics since the last published paper. This study aimed to identify factors associated with applicant success in the match. After IRB approval, all applications to a single accredited pediatric surgery fellowship program were reviewed for match years 2014–2018. Matched and unmatched applicants were compared in an unadjusted and adjusted analysis. This training program received 414 of 425 total applications (97%). Match results were available for 388 (94%). Matched applicants were more likely to train in programs with pediatric surgery fellowships (64% vs. 28%) and to have dedicated research time (55% vs. 21%; all p