Mystery behind the match: an undergraduate medical education–graduate medical education collaborative approach to understanding match goals and outcomes

Figures & data

Table 1 Individual and institutional characteristics

Question/category	Variables that may measure quality and impact match results	Assumption
Characteristics of Duke	MCAT score	Marker of potential success as student
SOM students	% underrepresented minorities in medicine	Increased class diversity contributes to increase in quality of educational program
	Step 1, Step 2 CS, Step 2 CK (% pass)	Used as screening tool by program directors
	Clerkship grades	Used as screening tool by program directors
	Third year – external scholarship	Competitively awarded; infers highly functioning student
	Third year – away research	Accepted at another school; infers student is highly regarded by another school
	Fourth year – away electives	Assume away electives are done for audition purposes
	Match outcomes	Match =intended SOM outcome
Characteristics of Duke	Accreditation cycle length	Full length contributes to reputation as strong program
GME programs	Depth of rank list to fill program	Less depth infers ability to attract top choices more quickly/efficiently/easily
	Competing institutions	If not Duke, SOM graduates would choose/end up at peer institutions
	USMLE Step 3 (% pass)	Score is a measure of resident's knowledge and ability
	Medical schools of residents	Program directors consider ranking of applicant's SOM when making selection – more likely to choose applicant from higher-ranked school
	Diversity in GME programs (% underrepresented minorities in medicine)	SOM graduates may prioritize GME programs according to level of diversity
Specialty choice trends	NRMP data	National trends in specialty choice impact match outcomes
GME to faculty	What % SOM graduates stay for GME; GME graduates stay on for faculty?	When graduates decide to stay at training institution, it speaks to quality and reputation of the institution

GME, graduate medical education; MCAT, Medical College Admission Test; NRMP, National Resident Matching Program; SOM, school of medicine; Step 2 CK, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge; Step 2 CS, Step 2 Clinical Skills; USMLE, United States Medical Licensing Examination.

Table 2 Sample table created to evaluate match outcomes

Ranked above fill line: came to Duke
Program	Rank #	GME training institution
Internal medicine		Duke
Diagnostic radiology		Duke
General surgery		Duke
Ranked above fill line: did not come to Duke
Program	Rank #	GME training institution
Internal medicine
Diagnostic radiology
General surgery
Ranked below fill line
Program	Rank #	GME training institution
Internal medicine
Diagnostic radiology
General surgery

GME, graduate medical education.

Table 3 Summary of UME–GME match analysis

UME	GME
Matriculant demographic  Trends stable over time	Accreditation cycle  Above national average across research period
Clerkship grades  Trends stable over time	Depth of rank list to fill program  Trends stable over time
USMLE scores  Above or at national mean; trends show increasing scores over time	Where did applicants go if not Duke?  Institutions with similar rigor and reputation
Third year  Trends stable over time; dip in number of scholarships awarded in 2011 (fewer scholarships available that year)	USMLE results  Above national pass rate of 94% (for 2010)
Fourth year  # of away electives slightly trending upward over time	Diversity in GME programs  Opportunity to come closer to meeting national average of underrepresented minorities in medicine (stable over time)

GME, graduate medical education; USMLE, united states medical licensing examination; UME, undergraduate medical education.