ArticlePlastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open2024
The Plastic Surgery Central Application versus ERAS: Which is Preferred?
Article in Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- A Review of Program Signaling Effects, Perceptions, and Trends for Medical Residencies.Journal of graduate medical education · 2025Pooled it
- Does Research Predict Career Trajectory? A Nationwide Analysis of Plastic Surgery Residents From 2020 to 2024.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Discussion: Preference Signaling-Does It Work? A Multispecialty Review of the Data.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Influence of Research Years and Subinternships on the 2025 Integrated Plastic Surgery Match.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Geography and Opportunity: The Influence of Residency Location on Plastic Surgery Resident Case Volume-A 9-year Review of 1902 Graduates.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Preference Signaling in Plastic Surgery: A Survey of Applicants' Perceptions and Experience.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Nationwide Analysis of Pipelining and Medical School Affiliation in the US Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Match.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Prevalence of Prohibited Questions During Plastic Surgery Integrated Residency Interviews: Regional Analysis and Contextual Insights.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Preference Signaling: Does It Work? A MultispecialtyReview of the Data.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Enabling Exploration: Examining the Availability and Adequacy of Conference Funding for Medical Students.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Quantifying Research Productivity From First-year US Integrated Plastic Surgery Residents After USMLE Step I Pass/Fail Conversion.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- The Role of ChatGPT in Personal Statements for Plastic Surgery Residency Applications: Program Directors' Perspective.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Matching Into Integrated Plastic Surgery: The Impact of USMLE Step 1 Transition to Pass/Fail: Did the 2019 Predictions Come True in 2024?Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Discussion: The Plastic Surgery Central Application versus ERAS: Which Is Preferred?Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: The Plastic Surgery Central Application (PSCA), designed to provide an equitable and streamlined application for both applicants and programs, was first designed in 2019, piloted in the 2020-21 application cycle, and is now in its fourth cycle in 2023-24. It has included preference signaling since the 2022-23 cycle, a feature in which applicants can send five "signals" to programs to express interest. We surveyed both program directors (PDs) and applicants following the 2023 match on their perceptions of PSCA versus Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Methods: Surveys were deployed to applicants from three integrated plastic surgery programs during the 2022-23 cycle and all PDs. Respondents were asked basic demographic information, which application system they preferred: PSCA or ERAS, how well they were able to highlight/evaluate different areas of the application, and about their experiences specifically with preference signaling. Results: Forty-two (48%) PDs and 93 (29%) applicants responded. Most PDs (72%) and applicants (59%) preferred PSCA, with only 18% and 27% preferring ERAS. The remainder had no preference. Ninety-three percent of applicants reported that the cost savings of the PSCA were important. Most applicants (78%) and PDs (80%) were in favor or strongly in favor of the preference signaling program. Conclusions: Most applicants and PDs prefer PSCA over ERAS. These data, in conjunction with the cost savings, suggest that the PSCA may be a better alternative for the integrated plastic surgery match. Future analyses of these application systems will help provide the best application for prospective residents.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.