ArticlePlastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open2026
Nationwide Analysis of Pipelining and Medical School Affiliation in the US Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Match.
Article in Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 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
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- 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
- Predictors of Matching into Plastic Surgery Residency Integrated and Independent Tracks: A Systematic Review.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: "Pipelining" is a phenomenon whereby a residency program repeatedly matches individuals from the same medical school across several application cycles. This is potentially disadvantageous to qualified applicants without a history of institutional legacy at their schools. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of pipelining by US integrated plastic surgery residency programs to promote an equitable playing field for future applicants. Methods: An analysis of every Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited US integrated plastic surgery residency program was conducted. The graduated medical schools of 2229 current and former plastic surgery residents were collected. Pipeline scores were defined as the ratio of total residents to number of unique medical schools represented at the program (Pipeline Results: The average Pipeline Conclusions: There is a measurable prevalence of pipelining in plastic surgery, especially in the Northeastern US and at programs affiliated with medical schools with historical match success. Fostering an inclusive and meritocratic match process will benefit the field of plastic surgery entirely.
Identifiers
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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.