Selection Criteria for Oculoplastics Fellowship Applicants
Authors: Michael Balas 1, Navdeep Nijhawan2, Nancy A. Tucker2, Dan D. DeAngelis2, Harmeet S. Gill2, John T. Harvey3, James H. Oestreicher2, Elizabeth Bradley4, Michael T. Yen5, Amina I. Malik6, John Nguyen7, Albert Y. Wu8, Kimberly P. Cockerham Peele8, Cameron B. Nabavi9, Ahsen Hussain10, Ezekiel Weis11, Vinay K. Aakalu12, Femida Kherani 13, Louise A. Mawn 14, Russell S. Gonnering 15, Suzanne van Landingham 16, Mark J. Lucarelli 16, Edsel B. Ing2. 1University of Toronto, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, 2University of Toronto, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, 3McMaster University, Division of Ophthalmology, 4Mayo Clinic, Department of Ophthalmology, 5Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, 6Houston Methodist Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, 7West Virginia University, Department of Ophthalmology, 8Stanford University, Department of Ophthalmology, 9Ohio State University, Department of Ophthalmology, 10Dalhousie Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, 11University of Alberta, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, 12University of Illinois, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, 13University of British Columbia, Department of Ophthalmology, 14Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Departments of Ophthalmology and Neurosurgery, 15Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Ophthalmology, 16University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.
Author Disclosures: M. Balas: None. N. Nijhawan: None. N.A. Tucker: None. D.D. DeAngelis: None. H.S. Gill: None. J.T. Harvey: None. J.H. Oestreicher: None. E. Bradley: None. M.T. Yen: None. A.I. Malik: None. J. Nguyen: None. A.Y. Wu: None. K.P. Cockerham Peele: None. C.B. Nabavi: None. A. Hussain: None. E. Weis: None. V.K. Aakalu: None. F. Kherani: None. L.A. Mawn: None. R.S. Gonnering: None. S. van Landingham: Funded grants or clinical trials; Name of for-profit or not-for-profit organization(s); Research to Prevent Blindness. Funded grants or clinical trials; Description of relationship(s); Unrestricted Grant. M.J. Lucarelli: Funded grants or clinical trials; Name of for-profit or not-for-profit organization(s); Research to Prevent Blindness. Funded grants or clinical trials; Description of relationship(s); Unrestricted Grant. E.B. Ing: None.
Abstract Body:
Purpose: The training of fellows is an integral pillar in the future of oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgery, and the extensive contact between fellowship preceptors and their fellows mandates meticulous selection. Indeed, the selection of fellows can be difficult and requires multicriteria decision-making. Thus, our aim was to develop a comprehensive list of selection criteria for oculofacial plastic surgery fellowship candidates, as well as a method to objectively rank these criteria.
Study Design: A cross-sectional, consensus-driven Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) study.
Methods: In Phase I of the study, North American academic oculoplastic surgeons interested in medical education and fellowship training provided their top fellowship selection criteria which were classified into seven categories. These categories included the core physician competencies, research skills, potential future impact (including equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI)), and financial considerations. In Phase II of the study, these selection criteria categories were ranked and quantified using an AHP.
Results: 26 surgeons across 15 North American centres contributed to the study with 7 (27%) women and 11 (42%) current/recent fellowship program directors. There were 19 participating surgeons in Phase I and 22 surgeons in Phase II, 15 (79%) of whom where also a part of Phase I. The aggregate AHP rankings (n=22) of the selection criteria were as follows, from first-to-last: 1) Professionalism (25.7%); 2) Interpersonal and communication skills (21.3%); 3) Patient care, surgical skills, and systems-based practice (17.2%); 4) Knowledge and accomplishments (13.7%); 5) Contribution to new knowledge including research skills (11.2%); 6) Potential impact (including EDI) (7.9%); and 7) Financial considerations (3.0%).
Conclusions: We incorporated core physician competencies, EDI, and financial considerations to fellowship selection criteria. In addition, our 15-centre collaboration employed an AHP to objectively rank and quantify the importance of these selection criteria, which can be adapted to the needs of individual fellowship programs across North America.
