Barzee, Brigham M.

Purpose This study assessed the association between holding an additional graduate degree beyond a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) and residency match outcomes. Specifically, the authors examined graduate degree attainment trends among residency applicants and evaluated whether graduate degree holders experience lower match rates than non-holders. Methods A retrospective, observational analysis was conducted using publicly available data from the National Resident Matching Program's Charting Outcomes in the Match reports (2016-2024). The 10 specialties with the highest applicant volumes were analyzed, encompassing 80 136 matched and 6820 unmatched U.S. MD and DO senior applicants. Trends in graduate degree attainment were evaluated using linear regression models. Match rates were stratified by graduate degree status and compared using two-proportion z-tests based on aggregated matched and unmatched counts for each specialty and overall. Results From 2016 to 2024, the proportion of graduate degree holders entering the match increased significantly for MD (15.77% to 18.29%, P = .0008) and DO (19.93% to 23.31%, P = .0151) applicants. Across all 10 specialties, graduate degree holders matched at lower rates than non-holders. Among MD applicants, graduate degree holders matched at 92.57% compared with 94.12% for non-graduates (P < .0001), with specialty-specific differences ranging from 0.22% in Psychiatry to 4.61% in Anesthesiology; five specialties demonstrated statistically significant disparities. Among DO applicants, graduate degree holders matched at 84.54% compared with 88.64% for non-graduates (P < .0001), with specialty-specific differences ranging from 1.44% in Family Medicine to 10.48% in Obstetrics and Gynecology; five specialties also reached statistical significance. Conclusions The proportion of graduate degree holders in the residency match is increasing, and these applicants experience lower match rates than non-holders. These findings challenge the assumption that additional graduate education provides a competitive advantage and underscore the need for further research into the applicant-level factors contributing to these disparities.

Background: Calcaneus fractures have serious potential complications. Tongue type calcaneus fractures, in particular, are at risk for secondary soft tissue breakdown due in part to the tension placed on the soft tissue by the forces of the Achilles tendon on the superior fragment of the posterior calcaneal tuberosity. The current literature is limited regarding outcomes in pure tongue type calcaneus fractures. The purpose of this study is to report injury details, treatment, and complications in this group of fractures. Methods: The study is a retrospective study of patients between 2007 and 2015 with tongue type calcaneus fractures. Demographic data and comorbidities were collected for each patient. Clinical data including details of the injury, time to surgery, length of hospital stay, wound complications, additional surgical procedures, and follow-up data were evaluated. Results: There were 25 patients with 26 fractures included in this study, including 7 open fractures. Wound complications occurred in 7 (27%) patients, and fixation failure occurred in 4 (21%) patients. Patients with open fractures reached full healing in less time (2.8±0.4 mo) compared with patients with closed fractures (4±1.3 mo). The difference in time to full healing was not statistically significant (P>0.05) when comparing smokers and nonsmokers. Conclusions: The literature is limited regarding outcomes of pure tongue type calcaneus fractures. We found these fractures had similar or even higher rates of wound complications compared with other studies investigating intra-articular calcaneus fractures. This is one of the first studies to report on the complication rates associated specifically with these fractures. Level of Evidence: Level IV.