What Military Applicants Value When Choosing a Residency in Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics

Military medical students participate in a separate residency match program, distinct from their civilian counterparts. There is limited information regarding factors that applicants find important when selecting a residency program in Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics (GSO). We aimed to identify factors that influence applicant program selection. A voluntary, anonymous, 45-question survey was distributed to military candidates pursuing GSO residency training in the fall of 2023. Participants were asked to rate the factors they considered most important when ranking residency programs. Thirty-seven of the sixty (61.7%) applicants completed the survey. The culture of the residency program was deemed "important" by most participants (94.6%), followed by surgical volume (70.3%) and obstetric volume (70.3%). When asked to rank selection factors, the culture of the residency program, geographic location, and surgical volume were among the top 5 influential factors for the majority of applicants. Participants considered the following factors "not important": Salary (military pay versus civilian salary) (43.2%), research opportunities (32.4%), and availability of abortion training (21.6%). Most military applicants (62.2%) stated that abortion restrictions would not affect program selection, while 37.8% reported that this would affect their rankings. Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics military applicants deemed the residency program's culture, surgical volume, and obstetrical volume to be the most important factors impacting residency program selection. Residency programs can use these findings to promote program strengths, improve program shortfalls, and guide applicant recruitment.