Abstract 240: Factors Affecting Selection of TraineE for Neurointervention (FASTEN)

Abstract

Introduction Neurointervention has become one of the most competitive specialties in the United States due to the limited number of training spots, and a larger pool of applicants from different backgrounds: neurosurgery, neurology, and radiology. The training standards are continuously updated to ensure solid learning experiences, which ultimately factors in better outcomes and fewer complications. There is a move towards a structured competency assessment of training requirements via collaboration among several professional societies. However, the substantial drivers of candidate selection by program directors (PDs) have not been fully established yet. The goal of our study is to investigate the factors influencing the selection of fellowship candidates. Methods We distributed a 52‐question electronic survey via REDCap to 93 PDs. The questionnaire was divided into 5 categories: program characteristics; candidate demographics; educational credentials; personal traits; and research and extracurricular activities. The PDs were then asked to rank 5 pre‐selected factors from across all 5 categories. Each category included a subset of multiple‐choice questions to be graded as indicated for each category. Characteristics for these categories were scored from a range of 1 through 10 and means with standard deviations (SD) were calculated for each characteristic. Results Of the 93 PDs surveyed, 55 PDs filled the survey with a response rate of 59.1%. As per the programs’ characteristics, Neurosurgery was the most involved specialty in running the training programs (69.1%), followed by neurology (38.2%), and radiology (30.9%). Most programs were based in academic hospitals (87.3%, n=48/55). The most important criterion for candidate’s demographic characteristics was the need for visa sponsorship, followed by career gap and number of years from graduation from residency program, as summarized in Figure 1A. The most important criteria for educational credentials were being a graduate from a neurosurgical residency program (5.4 ± 2.9), and the institution where the candidate’s residency training is/was based (5.4 ± 2.5). Regarding the candidate’s personal traits, assessment by faculty members at the interview had the highest score (8.9 ± 1). In terms of research and extracurricular activities, fluency in English had the highest score (7.2 ± 1.9), followed by the number of peer‐reviewed/PubMed‐indexed publications (6.4 ± 2.2). Ranking of a final set of 5 characteristics from across all categories is summarized in Figure 1B, with knowledge of the candidate being the single most important contributing factor. Conclusion Neurointerventional training is open to candidates in neurosurgery, neurology, and radiology. To our knowledge, our survey is the first to investigate the factors that might be implicated in the final decision made by PDs when choosing the future neurointerventional trainee, including demographic, educational, research and extracurricular activities.