Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the applicant experience with preference signaling during the 2022 Urology
Residency Match.
Methods
An anonymous electronic survey was emailed to all urology residency applicants who
applied to Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School during the 2021-2022 application
cycle. The survey collected information regarding applicant demographics, applicant
characteristics, preference signal destinations, match outcomes, and attitude towards
preference signaling.
Results
A total of 601 applicants applied to the 2022 Urology Residency Match, 283 of which
applied to the urology residency program at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Of the 283 applicants, 53 (19%) responded to our survey. Rate of interview for preference
signaled programs was 54.23%, with a significantly lower rate of interview for comparative,
non-signaled programs (40.54%; P = .001). Of respondents, 14.29%, 26.19%, and 35.71% matched to their home program,
a program they signaled, or a program where they completed an away rotation, respectively.
96% of applicants favored continuation of the preference signaling program.
Conclusion
Our study suggests preference signaling in the 2022 Urology Match may have been an
effective method of expressing interest in a program. Respondents of our survey overwhelmingly
favor continuation of the program in future urology matches. However, it may not address
the underlying, growing problem of the increasing application burden on applicants
and programs alike. We encourage more comprehensive studies to further clarify the
effects of preference signaling on the Urology Match.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 30, 2022
Accepted:
September 20,
2022
Received:
April 13,
2022
Footnotes
Financial Disclosure: This work is supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute (P30CA072720).
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
