How Has Preference Signaling Transformed Interview Offers?
by Sara Maria Jensen, M.D.; Ming-Li Wang, M.D.; Peter Muscarella II, M.D. | July 27, 2024
Article Citation: Sergesketter AR, Song E, Shammas RL, Tian WM, Eberlin KR, Ko JH, Momoh AO, Snyder-Warwick A, Phillips BT. (2024). Preference signaling and the Integrated Plastic Surgery Match: A national survey study. J Surg Educ 2024; 81(5):662–670. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2024.01.011
What is this article about?
The study aimed to assess whether the introduction of preference signaling in the 2022-2023 integrated plastic surgery application cycle was successful from the perspectives of both programs and applicants. It also aimed to assess the influence of preference signals on the likelihood of receiving interview offers compared to away rotators and home students.
The outcomes are based on survey responses from 45 of 83 integrated plastic surgery programs using the Plastic Surgery Common Application (PSCA) and 99 of the 306 integrated plastic surgery applicants to Duke University.
Why should you read the article?
The findings suggest that preference signaling plays a significant role in the match process, influencing both applicants’ and programs’ strategies and outcomes. Overall, 85.9% of students received at least one interview offer from a program where they sent a preference signal. However, preference signaling did not outweigh applicants who were home students or completed away rotations—these individuals retained a significant interview advantage: 84.6% of home students and 64.8% of away rotators received interview offers at their respective programs compared to 41.4% of students who sent a preference signal alone. Interview offers were given to 7.1% of students who were not home students, away rotators, or did not send a preference signal.
How can you use this article?
This article is immensely valuable for applicants, educators, and mentors, aiding those navigating the match process in specialties that utilize preference signaling. Given that away rotations or being a home student at a respective program carry the most weight in securing interview offers, signaling should be directed towards desirable programs where these advantages were not obtained. According to the reported findings, the order of importance is as follows:
home student> away rotation > preference signaling.
Review Author: Sara Maria Jensen, M.D., PGY-3, General Surgery, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, Niagara Falls, NY (Co-authored with Ming-Li Wang, M.D., Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of New Mexico and Peter Muscarella, M.D., Chief of General Surgery at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center). Organization: Association for Surgical Education