ArticlePlastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open2025
Matching Into Integrated Plastic Surgery: The Impact of USMLE Step 1 Transition to Pass/Fail: Did the 2019 Predictions Come True in 2024?
Article in Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers.
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
21 citing papers in PubMed.
- Does Research Predict Career Trajectory? A Nationwide Analysis of Plastic Surgery Residents From 2020 to 2024.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Expectations and Considerations of Research Fellowships in Plastic Surgery.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Implications of the Shifting Landscape of Plastic Surgery Training Paradigms.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
- Do Dedicated Research Years Matter? Perspectives From Plastic Surgery Program Leadership.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Validation of Orthopedic Surgery Residency Database for Use Within Plastic Surgery.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Submitted Works in Plastic Surgery Residency Applications: Longitudinal Trends and Publication Outcomes.Annals of plastic surgery · 2026Article
- Integrated Plastic Surgery Match Trends After Step 1 Pass/Fail Implementation: Data Analysis and Literature Review.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Predictors of Matching into Plastic Surgery Residency Integrated and Independent Tracks: A Systematic Review.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
- Analysis of Plastic Surgery Publications Among Successfully Matched Integrated Plastic Surgery Residents.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Financial Awards to Enhance Access to Careers in Plastic Surgery: A Survey of Program Directors.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Article
- Medical Student-Driven Multimodal Surgical Training to Enhance Preclinical Surgical Skill Acquisition, Surgical Clerkship Readiness, and Career Exploration.Advances in medical education and practice · 2026Article
- Nationwide Analysis of Pipelining and Medical School Affiliation in the US Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Match.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Benchmarking large language models on the United States medical licensing examination for clinical reasoning and medical licensing scenarios.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Developing Effective and Passionate Plastic Surgery Researchers: A Structured Pathway for Medical Students.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Discussion: 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
- Which Characteristics of Applicants and Medical Schools Produce the Most Integrated Plastic Surgery Residents? An Analysis of the 2016-2022 Cohort.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Osteopathic Graduates in Plastic Surgery: How Can We Improve the Pipeline?Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: The first class of integrated plastic surgery residency applicants with pass/fail (P/F) step 1 assessments occurred during the 2023-2024 Match cycle. This study analyzes the results of a 2024 postmatch survey to program directors (PDs) regarding the impact of the conversion to P/F step 1 scoring and compares the results to the 2019 survey that attempted to predict how this conversion would influence decision-making when it was initially announced. Methods: A 26-item survey evaluating PDs' perspectives on applicant characteristics and the application process following P/F step 1 scoring was distributed March 2024. Data were analyzed using summary tables, marginal homogeneity tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: Thirty-seven plastic surgery PDs completed the survey (response rate = 46.3%). The top 3 most important metrics for determining applicant interview invitations after step 1 P/F conversion were participation in an away rotation, letters of recommendation, and involvement in research, while ultimately match rank list order emphasized quality of the applicant's interview. A total of 68.1% of PDs agree that it was more difficult to differentiate applicants without a numerical step 1 score. A total of 51.5% of PDs reported using step 2 clinical knowledge scores to screen applicants. PDs' opinions on factors influencing the 2023-2024 Match cycle did not significantly change from predictions studied in 2019. Conclusions: Program directors felt that in the 2023-2024 cycle, it was more difficult to differentiate between applicants, leading to increased emphasis on other characteristics such as away rotations, letters of recommendation, step 2 clinical knowledge scores, and research. There was no difference from what was predicted.
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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.