Updates on the Law of Diminishing Returns in the Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Match - Full Follow-Up - September 2025 to January 2026

Sep 29, 2026

Integrated plastic surgery residency remains highly competitive, prompting an update of previously identified inflection points that limit further gains in match probability. Using NRMP data from 2023–2025, the study compared resident selection criteria across categorized subgroups and applied stepwise chi-square analysis to locate diminishing-returns thresholds. Results show reduced odds with fewer contiguous ranks, fewer publications, lower USMLE Step 2 CK scores, and limited volunteer experience, while benchmarks shift upward for publications and research experience.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Background

Methods

Data source and comparison approach

Definitions of key metrics

Results

Contiguous ranks

Publications

USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge

Research experience

Conclusions

SEQUEL: FULL FoLLow-Up Education Updates on the Law of Diminishing Returns in the Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Match Abdulaziz Elemosho, MD Benjamin A. Sarac, MD Jeffrey E. Janis, MD, FACS Background: Integrated plastic surgery residency remains highly competitive, with a 2025 match rate of 55.8% . This study aimed to update the previously identified inflection points to assess their ongoing relevance. Methods: The National Resident Matching Program database from 2023 to 2025 was queried, and data on objective resident selection criteria were collected. Criteria were categorized into subgroups, and stepwise comparisons were performed to determine inflection points. Results: Compared with the national average, the chances of matching into integrated plastic surgery residency were significantly reduced with less than 5 contiguous ranks (up to −46.5%), less than 15 publications (up to −28.3%), Step 2 Clinical Knowledge scores less than 240 (up to −59%), and less than 5 volunteer experiences (−4.1%) . Conversely, more than 15 publications, a USMLE Step 2 score of greater than 240, more than 5 research and volunteer experiences, Alpha Omega Alpha membership, and being a US MD senior were all associated with higher chances of matching, compared with the national average. Between 2023 and 2025, the inflection point went up for the number of publications (15 versus 25) and research experience (5 versus 10) . On the other hand, the number of contiguous ranks (15), USMLE Step 2 score (250), and volunteer experiences (10) remained the same over the same period. Conclusions: Updated benchmarks confirm upward shifts in some of the inflection points, reflecting increased competitiveness during the study period. Importantly, applicants should prioritize these metrics strategically, supplemented by qualitative factors such as letters of recommendation to optimize their chances of matching.(Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2026;14:e7385; doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000007385; Published online 5 January 2026.) INTRODUCTION Integrated plastic surgery residency remains highly competitive, with a 2025 match rate of 55.8% .1 We previously used match data between 2016 and 2022 to report the inflection points beyond which match probabilities do not further increase for the commonly used resident selection criteria.2 Given the increased competitiveness between 2022 and the most recent 2025 match, as evidenced by higher reported mean United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) From the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH. Received for publication July 25, 2025; accepted November 11, 2025. Copyright © 2026 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. DOI: 10. 1097/GOX.0000000000007385 scores, mean numbers of publications and research experiences, and higher number of applicants,3 this study updates these benchmarks using National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) data from 2023 to 2025 to evaluate their current applicability. METHODS We examined NRMP data from 2023 to 2025 to determine benchmarks for resident selection criteria in integrated plastic surgery. Match probabilities were calculated as risk differences relative to the national average match rate during the study period. To identify inflection points, we conducted stepwise comparisons between adjacent subgroups using χ2 analysis until no further statistically significant differences were observed.2 In this study,“publication” refers to

FAQs

What changes were observed in inflection points between 2023 and 2025?

The inflection point increased for the number of publications and for research experience, while contiguous ranks, USMLE Step 2 CK at the threshold level, and volunteer experiences remained unchanged over the same period.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by CatatanPagi