Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship Selection Criteria: A National Fellowship Director Survey

Background: Desirable candidate characteristics for aesthetic surgery fellowship applicants remain unknown because of a lack of data in the literature. Objectives: This study aims to identify the criteria used to select applicants for aesthetic surgery fellowship in the United States. Methods: A 38-question survey was sent in April 2015 to all directors of fellowships endorsed by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (n = 20) in the United States. The survey investigated various factors including residency training and fellowship interview. A 5-point Likert scale was used to grade 33 influential factors from 1 ("not at all important") to 5 ("essential"); a separate 5-point Likert scale was used for 5 controversial factors from 1 ("very negative impact") to 5 ("very positive impact"). Results: Sixty-five percent 13 out of 20) of directors responsed. The most important factors were letters of recommendation by well-established plastic surgeons (4.6 +/- 0.7), interpersonal skills (4.5 +/- 0.8), overall interview performance (4.5 +/- 0.7), professionalism and ethics (4.4 +/- 1.0), and letters of recommendation by aesthetic surgeons (4.4 +/- 1.2). The least important factors were Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society membership (1.8 +/- 0.6), postgraduate degrees (1.9 +/- 0.9), US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK)/Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) Level 2 Cognitive Evaluation and USMLE/COMLEX Step 3 score (1.9 +/- 0.9), and research fellowships (2.0 +/- 0.6). Conclusions: This study provides data on the aesthetic surgery fellowship directors' perceptions about the criteria important for applicant selection. We trust that fellowship directors, residency programs, and applicants find this data useful as they prepare for the aesthetic surgery fellowship match.