ReviewJournal of cardiothoracic surgery2026
Recent trends in integrated cardiothoracic residency match.
Review in Journal of cardiothoracic surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundACGME’s integrated six-year thoracic or more common cardiothoracic residency programs (I-6) have reshaped the training pathway for cardiothoracic surgeons in the United States. We reviewed match rates, applicant characteristics, and program growth, and assessed challenges to elucidate current trends and further the direction of these programs.
methodsWe performed a literature-based descriptive analysis of published match outcomes, applicant demographics, and program innovations between 2007 and 2025. The data were synthesized from published reports, program surveys, and national match statistics.
resultsThe number of I-6 positions increased from 3 in 2007 to 48 in 2025; analysis revealed that the match rates for U.S. MD seniors stagnated at approximately 41% despite a 150% increase in applications, which was attributed to increased interest in the field. The matched applicants presented higher mean United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) step scores (Step 1: 244 ± 11; Step 2: 249 ± 13), more publications, with an average of 10.5, and increased interview offers. Simulation-based training and interdisciplinary rotations have enhanced curriculum quality. Economic barriers such as application fees, away rotation costs, and unfunded research years place immense cost burdens upon applicants, limiting access to opportunities that increase application competitiveness.
conclusionsWhile integrated thoracic programs attract high-caliber candidates, incorporate advanced training modalities, and have seen slight position growth over time, the immense increase in applications has resulted in multifactorial competitive match environments. The multifactorial basis for the stagnant match rate requires an increase in program positions, broader financial support, and continued curricular innovation to sustain diversity and meet projected workforce needs.
Indexed as
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.