Successful Matching Research Articles

Evaluation of a prototype machine learning tool to semi-automate data extraction for systematic literature reviews

BackgroundEvidence-based medicine requires synthesis of research through rigorous and time-intensive systematic literature reviews (SLRs), with significant resource expenditure for data extraction from scientific publications. Machine learning may enable the timely completion of SLRs and reduce errors by automating data identification and extraction.MethodsWe evaluated the use of machine learning to extract data from publications related to SLRs in oncology (SLR 1) and Fabry disease (SLR 2). SLR 1 predominantly contained interventional studies and SLR 2 observational studies.Predefined key terms and data were manually annotated to train and test bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) and bidirectional long-short-term memory machine learning models. Using human annotation as a reference, we assessed the ability of the models to identify biomedical terms of interest (entities) and their relations. We also pretrained BERT on a corpus of 100,000 open access clinical publications and/or enhanced context-dependent entity classification with a conditional random field (CRF) model.Performance was measured using the F1 score, a metric that combines precision and recall. We defined successful matches as partial overlap of entities of the same type.ResultsFor entity recognition, the pretrained BERT+CRF model had the best performance, with an F1 score of 73% in SLR 1 and 70% in SLR 2. Entity types identified with the highest accuracy were metrics for progression-free survival (SLR 1, F1 score 88%) or for patient age (SLR 2, F1 score 82%). Treatment arm dosage was identified less successfully (F1 scores 60% [SLR 1] and 49% [SLR 2]). The best-performing model for relation extraction, pretrained BERT relation classification, exhibited F1 scores higher than 90% in cases with at least 80 relation examples for a pair of related entity types.ConclusionsThe performance of BERT is enhanced by pretraining with biomedical literature and by combining with a CRF model. With refinement, machine learning may assist with manual data extraction for SLRs.

The determinants of online matching platforms for freight services

With the development of information technology and the success of E-commerce, online freight exchange platforms have expanded to trucking freight services by matching truckers with shippers directly. Despite the endeavors of online freight platforms to emulate the success of other platform services, they face difficulties in facilitating successful matches. By analyzing the transactional data of an existing freight service platform, we seek to identify the salient factors that improve platform matching rates using a linear regression with splines for freight rate, capturing non-linearities, and a RUM discrete outcome model for matching. Both models are estimated jointly (simultaneously) using full information maximum likelihood (FIML). The empirical findings indicate that successful matching is more likely if the online freight platforms allow making substantial price adjustments once a job has been posted, as well as allowing shippers to have a longer lead time for loading their shipments, particularly in cases where finding a suitable trucker is challenging. Furthermore, allowing customers to revise shipment information provides greater flexibility in accommodating customer needs and ultimately enhances the likelihood of successful matching. Our analysis provides actionable and pragmatic suggestions to improve matching rates for online platforms of freight services.

Local Culture and Community Through a Digital Lens: Viewpoint on Designing and Implementing a Virtual Second Look Event for Residency Applicants.

The COVID-19 pandemic altered how residency interviews occur. Despite 2 years of web-based interviews, these are still perceived as inferior to in-person experiences. Showcasing a program and location is critical for recruitment; however, it is difficult to highlight the program's location and community digitally. This article presents the authors' viewpoints on designing and implementing a virtual second look for residency applicants. Our objective was to host a web-based event to feature the benefits of living in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for residency applicants, enhance recruitment efforts, and ensure a successful residency match. The goal was to cover topics that interested all applicants, highlight how Winston-Salem is a special place to live, involve current residents, and engage community members. Three programs-child neurology, neurology, and family medicine were chosen for a pilot virtual second look. All residency program directors' were asked to recommend community contacts and help identify residents and faculty who may serve as content experts on one of the topics in the panel discussions. A total of 24 community leaders from restaurants, venues, schools, and businesses were contacted, and 18 agreed to participate. The panel discussions included living in and raising a family in Winston-Salem, experiencing Winston-Salem arts and music, where to eat and drink like a local, and enjoying sports and outdoors in the area. The 2-hour event was hosted on Zoom. Postevent feedback assessments were automatically sent to each registrant through Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap). This study was deemed exempt from Wake Forest University Health Sciences institutional review board review (IRB00088703). There were 51 registrants for the event, and 28 of 48 registrants provided postevent feedback, which was positive. The authors found in the MATCH residency results that 2 of 2 child neurology positions, 4 of 6 adult neurology positions, and 1 of 10 family medicine positions attended our second look event. One adult neurology resident who did not participate was an internal candidate. All respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the session was valuable, well organized, and met their expectations or goals. Furthermore, all respondents gained new information during this web-based event not obtained during their interview day. The virtual second look event for residency attendees featured the benefits of living in Winston-Salem, and the perspectives of current residents. Feedback from the session was overall positive; however, a top desire would be devoting more time for the applicants to ask questions directly to the community leaders and our resident trainees. This program could be reproducible by other institutions. It could be broadened to a graduate medical education-wide virtual second look event where all medical and surgical programs could opt to participate, facilitating an equitable opportunity for prospective applicants.

Face Recognition and Eye Blink Attendance Management System

This research explores the implementation and advantages of utilizing facial recognition technology for automated student attendance management in educational environments. The study outlines a comprehensive system that employs a high-resolution digital camera to detect and recognize students' faces, comparing them with stored images in a database. Successful matches result in real-time attendance logging, enhancing record-keeping and future analysis. The system also accommodates the inclusion of new images when no match is found. By embracing deep learning advancements, the technology offers an efficient alternative to conventional roll-call procedures, enabling automatic head counting in classrooms. The system integrates various face recognition algorithms, leveraging attributes such as shape, color, Local Binary Pattern (LBP), wavelet transforms, and auto-correlation. While challenges like varying lighting conditions, facial expressions, and face orientation are acknowledged, this research underscores the potential of technology to revolutionize attendance management and student engagement in education. Key Words: facial recognition technology, student attendance, automated system, deep learning, real-time logging, attendance management, classroom headcount, face recognition algorithms, record-keeping.

High Performance of ZnO/PANI Nanocomposites for Supercapacitors Applications

One of the goals of current technology is to miniaturize electronic, operational, sensing and optical devices and their components. Thus, nanotechnology is an advanced technology favored by the scientific and industrial communities for its ability to exploit the unique properties of nanomaterials on a large scale. This study examined the polyaniline (PANI) solution with (ZnO) in different volume ratios through depositing (PANI: ZnO) on glass and silicon substrates. Alkalis were prepared and cleaned in a specific method and kept in tanks until they were used in a precipitation process using distillation casting techniques, which were carried out on silicon. The results showed that the as-prepared material has the characteristic of electrochemical performance. The synthesis test showed the consistency and compatibility among the materials used in the study with a maximum elapse time of (7.72 sec) and a maximum voltage of (0.203 V). The highest intensity for ZnO was at (36.3008°) with a Miller coefficient of (101) and for PANI was at (25°) with a Miller coefficient of (200). The X-ray diffraction results showed a successful matching procedure. When ZnO and PANI were mixed, the Miller coefficient (100) at (35o) angle provided the highest intensity. This proved that the materials used in the precipitation process were compatible. As for scanning electron microscopy, the results showed homogeneity and diffusion in the prepared material, where the grain volume decreased with the increase in ZnO. The best mixing ratio was (5:5) of (ZnO/PANI).

Gender and Language in Letters of Recommendation for Obstetrics and Gynecology Fellowship Applications

To delineate the use of gender-biased language in letters of recommendation for Obstetrics and Gynecology fellowships and its impact on applicants. Fellowship letters of recommendation from 4 Obstetrics and Gynecology specialties at a single institution in 2020 were included. frequency of agentic and communal language in letters of recommendation using Linguistics Inquiry Word Count software. letter of recommendation length and language utilization by author gender and applicant success measured by interviews and match success. Marginal models were fit to determine if language varied by applicant and writer gender and subspecialty. Modified Poisson regression models were used to determine associations between language and interview receipt. Single academic institution (Duke University); 2020 OB/GYN fellowship application cycle. A total of 1216 letters of recommendation submitted by 326 unique applicants for OB/GYN subspecialty fellowships at our institution. Rates of gender-biased language were low (Agentic:1.3%; communal: 0.8%). Agentic term use did not vary by applicant or author gender (p = 0.78 and 0.16) Male authors utilized 19% fewer communal terms than females (p < 0.001). Each 0.25% increase in agentic language was associated with an 18% reduction in the probability of interview invitation at our institution (p = 0.004). Percentage of agentic or communal language was not associated with successful matching into any subspecialty. No differences in agentic vs communal language based on applicant gender were found in this cohort, though female letter writers wrote longer letters with more communal terms. Increasing agentic terms negatively impacted interview invitation but did not affect successful matching.

Decentralized Policy-Hidden Fine-Grained Redaction in Blockchain-Based IoT Systems.

Currently, decentralized redactable blockchains have been widely applied in IoT systems for secure and controllable data management. Unfortunately, existing works ignore policy privacy (i.e., the content of users' redaction policies), causing severe privacy leakage threats to users since users' policies usually contain large amounts of private information (e.g., health conditions and geographical locations) and limiting the applications in IoT systems. To bridge this research gap, we propose PFRB, a policy-hidden fine-grained redactable blockchain in decentralized blockchain-based IoT systems. PFRB follows the decentralized settings and fine-grained chameleon hash-based redaction in existing redactable blockchains. In addition, PFRB hides users' policies during policy matching such that apart from successful policy matching, users' policy contents cannot be inferred and valid redactions cannot be executed. Some main technical challenges include determining how to hide policy contents and support policy matching. Inspired by Newton's interpolation formula-based secret sharing, PFRB converts policy contents into polynomial parameters and utilizes multi-authority attribute-based encryption to further hide these parameters. Theoretical analysis proves the correctness and security against the chosen-plaintext attack. Extensive experiments on the FISCO blockchain platform and IoT devices show that PFRB achieves competitive efficiency over current redactable blockchains.

The practicalities of adapting UK maternity clinical information systems for observational research: Experiences of the POOL study.

Using routinely collected clinical data for observational research is an increasingly important method for data collection, especially when rare outcomes are being explored. The POOL study was commissioned to evaluate the safety of waterbirth in the UK using routine maternity and neonatal clinical data. This paper describes the design, rationale, set-up and pilot for this data linkage study using bespoke methods. Clinical maternity information systems hold many data items of value for research purposes, but often lack specific data items required for individual studies. This study used the novel method of amending an existing clinical maternity database for the purpose of collecting additional research data fields. In combination with the extraction of existing data fields, this maximised the potential use of existing routinely collected clinical data for research purposes, whilst reducing NHS staff data collection burden.Wellbeing Software®, provider of the Euroking® Maternity Information System, added new study specific data fields to their information system, extracted data from participating NHS sites and transferred data for matching with the National Neonatal Research Database to ascertain outcomes for babies admitted to neonatal units. Study set-up processes were put in place for all sites. The data extraction, linkage and cleaning processes were piloted with one pre-selected NHS site. Twenty-six NHS sites were set-up over 27 months (January 2019 - April 2021). Twenty-four thousand maternity records were extracted from the one NHS site, pertaining to the period January 2015 to March 2019. Data field completeness for maternal and neonatal primary outcomes were mostly acceptable. Neonatal identifiers flowed to the National Neonatal Research Database for successful matching and linkage between maternity and neonatal unit records. Piloting the data extraction and linkage highlighted the need for additional governance arrangements, training at NHS sites and new processes for the study team to ensure data quality and confidentiality are upheld during the study. Amending existing NHS electronic information systems and accessing clinical data at scale, is possible, but continues to be a time consuming and a technically challenging exercise.

A Review of Medical Student First-Author Publications in Plastic Surgery.

The integrated plastic surgery residency match is a highly competitive process.If performed wisely, medical research is an opportunity to differentiate applications from peers, and productivity is closely evaluated by residency programs.In this study, the authors aimed to characterize medical student research productivity for integrated plastic surgery residency programs and their respective medical schools. To this end, the authors performed a retrospective review of senior author publications from the 81 integrated plastic surgery programs from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020. The primary outcome was a publication with a medical student as the first author.Secondary outcomes included the number of faculty from each program, the geographic region of the program, and the ranking of associated medical schools. It was found that the average number of medical student first-author publications and faculty members per institution were 14.0 and 11.0, respectively.There was a positive correlation between the number of faculty members and several medical student first-author publications for a program (R = 0.54, P < 0.0001). The average number of medical student first-author publications was higher in the top 25 programs than for the remaining programs (P < 0.001), and most medical student first-author publications in the United States were produced by 10 plastic surgery programs. From these findings, it was concluded that these programs associated with higher-ranking medical schools produce greater numbers of medical student first-author publications.These analyses of medical student academic productivity should be a highly useful guide for current and future medical students as they strategize their successful match into plastic surgery.

Trends in Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship Training: An Analysis of Supply and Demand.

Aesthetic surgery fellowship applications were consolidated under the San Francisco Match in 2018. The impact of these changes on aesthetic program and applicant numbers had not yet been investigated. In this study we sought to evaluate changes in programs, positions, applications, match rates, and fill rates since aesthetic surgery joined the San Francisco Match. We also aimed to compare these trends to craniofacial surgery, microsurgery, and hand surgery fellowships over this same time period. San Francisco and National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) match data for aesthetic, craniofacial, microsurgery, and hand fellowships were obtained from 2018 to 2022, and the number of applications, positions, programs, and successful matches were evaluated. The number of aesthetic fellowship positions increased from 17 to 41 (141%) over the period studied. This resulted in increased match rates and more unfilled positions. Over the same period, fellowship positions for craniofacial, hand, and microsurgery increased by 3.4%, 6%, and 2.5% respectively. There was no increase in applications to any postgraduate subspecialty, nor was there any change in the number of residents pursuing fellowship. Similarly, there was no change in the percentage of fellowship-bound residents applying to any given discipline. The increase in aesthetic fellowship programs and positions did not generate an increase in applications. Applications to other plastic surgery subspecialties also failed to increase. Unlike aesthetic fellowships, their program numbers have remained stable. Given the limited fellowship applicant pool, our focus should be on enhancing the quality of existing aesthetic programs rather than continuing to increase the number of aesthetic positions.

Evaluating gender discrepancies in the time to successful match into a small animal surgery residency program.

To determine any association between gender and likelihood of first attempt match and overall time to match into an American College of Veterinary Surgery (ACVS)-registered small animal surgical residency program (SASRP). Online survey. A total of 100 (77 female, 23 male) ACVS small animal surgery residents or diplomates participating in a SASRP during the past 5 years. An online survey was sent to eligible individuals. Respondents anonymously provided information related to demographics, postgraduate internships, and qualifications at the time of each surgical residency application. First attempt and overall match success were evaluated by gender through univariable analysis and then via a multivariable model. Men were 2.89 times more likely to match directly into a SASRP following a rotating internship than women (p = .041), and women completed more total internships than men prior to successful match into a SASRP (p = .030); however, men were found to have more publications at the time of first residency application (p < .001) or successful match (p = .018). Multivariable analysis revealed no association between gender on overall match success or first attempt match rate when considering all other qualifications. No evidence for gender bias was found during the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP) SASRP applicant selection process; however, gender specific patterns in research qualifications were identified. Gender-blinded assessment is not considered necessary for the VIRMP small animal surgical resident selection process. Efforts should be made to educate applicants about the impact of research on the residency selection process and encourage research engagement of female students and graduates.

Poster 251: Patients who Undergo Bilateral Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction Return to Sport at a Similar Rate to Unilaterals: A Matched Cohort Study

Objectives: Lateral patellar instability is a debilitating condition not only to athletes, but also a broad range of highly active individuals. Many of these patients experience instability symptoms bilaterally. Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFLR) is indicated to prevent future recurrence and ideally facilitate a complete return to sports (RTS). While RTS has been examined following MPFLR, the rate and timing of RTS in patients that undergo MPFLR bilaterally is unknown. The purpose of this study is to compare patients who have received bilateral MPFLR to a matched unilateral cohort, to elucidate potential differences and eventually allow better prognostication of this unique population’s ability to return to sports. Methods: Patients who underwent primary MPFL reconstructions with minimum 12-months clinical follow-up were identified from a single institution from the years 2011 to 2021. Those who underwent non-simultaneous primary MPFL reconstruction of bilateral knees were identified, as well as cohort of unilateral MPFLR. Surveys were then disseminated, including the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain and satisfaction, the Kujala Anterior Knee Pain Scale, the Tegner Activity Scale, and the MPFL-RSI assessing psychological readiness to RTS. Detailed baseline sport activity and RTS information was collected, which was modified for bilateral patients to report on each procedure. For analysis, bilateral and unilateral MPFLRs were matched in a 1:2 ratio based on age, sex, BMI, and status of concomitant tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO). A sub-analysis was performed comparing patients who underwent concomitant TTO compared to isolated MPFLR. Outcomes were compared between cohorts using T-tests and Chi-square analyses when required. Bivariate linear regression and logistic regression were performed to assess correlation between RTS and outcome scores, as well as psychological readiness. Results: Surveys were completed by 24 patients who underwent bilateral MPFL reconstruction and 105 unilateral patients with a total mean follow-up time of 4.2 ± 2.4 years. Among the bilateral patients, average time between MPFL procedures was 19.3 ± 16.9 months; notably, 71.4% of patients had symptoms in the contralateral knee at the time of index procedure. Three bilateral patients were unable to be matched, resulting in a 21:42 match with respective bilateral and unilateral cohorts having a mean age (22.5 ± 5.7 vs 23.3 ± 6.6 years; p = 0.65), sex (males 9/21 vs 18/42; p = 1.00), BMI (25.87 ± 6.39 vs 25.21 ± 4.78 kg/m2; p = 0.65), and concomitant TTO (9/18 vs 18/42; p = 1.00) that did not significantly differ, indicating successful matching. When comparing matched cohorts, bilateral MPFLR patients returned-to-sport at a similar rate to unilaterals following both their first (61.1% vs 63.2%; p = 0.98) and second MPFLR (72.7% vs 63.2%; p = 0.82). After undergoing both procedures, 33.3% of the bilateral cohort was able to return to their preinjury level of sport, compared to 26.3% of unilaterals (p = 0.82). The mean time for bilateral patient to RTS following their first procedure was 24.3 ± 7.5 weeks and 22.5 ± 12.9 weeks after their second, compared to the unilateral time-to-return taking 38.5 ± 23.0 weeks, though this difference at each time point (bilateral index vs unilateral; bilateral contralateral vs unilateral) did not reach significance (p = 0.06; p = 0.08). All patients scored highly with respect to VAS surgery satisfaction (85.4 vs 82.8; p = 0.44). There were no significant differences found between bilateral and unilateral cohorts for the Kulaja score (79.0 vs 86.1; p = 0.14) or in psychological readiness to RTS as indicated by the MPFL-RSI (49.7 ± 24.2 vs 58.8 ± 26.7; p = 0.24). Regression analysis found both the Kujala score (β = 0.06, p = 0.01) and MPFL-RSI (β = 0.06, p &lt; 0.01) to be weakly, but significantly associated with rate of RTS. Sub-analysis of MPFLR with and without concomitant TTO did not demonstrate any significant differences with respect to RTS, psychological readiness, or any other outcome score (p &gt; 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that patients who undergo MPFLR bilaterally are able to return to sports at a similar rate and to a similar level compared to a matched unilateral comparison group with equivalent satisfaction and functional outcome scores. These findings are particularly important due to the high prevalence of simultaneous bilateral symptomatic patellar instability. With no demonstrable differences in rate and timing of return-to-sport, knee function, and psychological readiness between patients who have undergone unilateral versus bilateral MPFLR, surgeons can more confidently report equivalent outcomes to patients particularly with respect to RTS rates.

Retention Time Trajectory Matching for Peak Identification in Chromatographic Analysis.

Retention time drift caused by fluctuations in physical factors such as temperature ramping rate and carrier gas flow rate is ubiquitous in chromatographic measurements. Proper peak matching and identification across different chromatograms is critical prior to any subsequent analysis but is challenging without using mass spectrometry. The purpose of this work was to describe and validate a peak matching and identification method called retention time trajectory (RTT) matching that can be used in targeted analyses free of mass spectrometry. This method uses chromatographic retention times as the only input and identifies peaks associated with any subset of a predefined set of target compounds. An RTT is a two-dimensional (2D) curve formed uniquely by the retention times of the chromatographic peaks. The RTTs obtained from the chromatogram of a sample under test and those pre-installed in a library are matched and statistically compared. The best matched pair implies identification. Unlike most existing peak-alignment methods, no mathematical warping or transformation is involved. Based on the experimentally characterized RTT, an RTT hybridization method was also developed to rapidly generate more RTTs and expand the library without performing actual time-consuming chromatographic measurements, which enables successful peak matching even for chromatograms with severe retention time drifts. Additionally, 3.15 × 105 tests using experimentally obtained gas chromatograms and 2 × 1012 tests using two publicly available fruit metabolomics datasets validated the proposed method, demonstrating real-time peak/interferent identification.

Effectiveness of an Orthopaedic Trauma Research Fellowship to Produce Successfully Matching Residents.

Orthopaedics is becoming increasingly competitive. Approximately 25% of applicants to orthopaedic surgery go unmatched each year. The mean US Medical Licensing Examination step scores and average publication numbers have increased markedly in recent years. Reapplicants have a match rate of <60%. This study describes the results of an orthopaedic trauma research fellowship and its effectiveness in obtaining a successful orthopaedic match. A 1 to 2-year research fellowship was established at a level 1 academic trauma center. Prefellowship and fellowship metrics of 11 fellows were recorded, including undergraduate and medical schools; step-1 + step-2 scores; Alpha Omega Alpha appointment; and publication, podium, poster, and chapter accomplishments. The average step-1 score of the fellows was 218 (range, 192 to 252) and 232 (range, 212 to 254) for step-2. Seven of 11 fellows were reapplicants. Prefellowship, the average number of journal publications was 1, one podium, two posters, and zero textbook chapters. During fellowship, the average publications was 5, five podiums, six posters, and 1.5 textbook chapters. Ten of 11 fellows successfully matched into an orthopaedic residency, with six of seven being reapplicants. Six of 7 reapplying fellows (86%) successfully matched highlighting the effectiveness of this fellowship. Research fellowships should be considered as an excellent choice for applicants who may be less than ideal candidates or reapplicants.

Fully Online Matching with Stochastic Arrivals and Departures

We study a fully online matching problem with stochastic arrivals and departures. In this model, each online arrival follows a known identical and independent distribution over a fixed set of agent types. Its sojourn time is unknown in advance and follows type-specific distributions with known expectations. The goal is to maximize the weighted reward from successful matches. To solve this problem, we first propose a linear program (LP)-based algorithm whose competitive ratio is lower bounded by 0.155 under mild conditions. We further achieve better ratios in some special cases. To demonstrate the challenges of the problem, we further establish several hardness results. In particular, we show that no online algorithm can achieve a competitive ratio better than 2/3 in this model and there is no LP-based algorithm (with respect to our proposed LP) with a competitive ratio better than 1/3. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our algorithm numerically.

In Memoriam: Peter J. Urcuioli (1952-2022).

In Memoriam: Peter J. Urcuioli (1952-2022).

The Everlasting Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Match

The Everlasting Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Match

Specialty Exposure Differentiates Successful Integrated Vascular Surgery Applicants

The number of applicants to integrated vascular residencies continues to rise faster than available training positions. Numerous stakeholders in vascular surgery (VS) are invested in improving resources for medical student mentorship and VS exposure throughout medical school. The purpose of our study was to perform a needs assessment of integrated VS applicants from the 2021 application cycle regarding specialty exposure. A 15-question anonymous survey evaluating applicant VS exposure, resources, and match outcome was developed. VS exposure in the following areas was specifically evaluated: VS conference attendance, VS student interest groups, vascular subinternship away rotations, and mentorship by vascular surgeons. The survey was disseminated on the 2021 Integrated VS Applicant Cycle GroupMe chat forum from April to August 2022. Unpaired t test was utilized to compare summary statistics between respondents who self-identified as having successfully matched versus respondents who did not match into an integrated VS program. A total of 125 applicants were identified and 54 applicants (44%) responded, including 48 who successfully matched into an integrated VS residency. Applicants attended on average 1.5 ± 1.7 regional and national VS conferences in person over the preceding year, with greatest attendance reported at the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Annual Meeting (57%). A VS away rotation was completed by 78% of applicants, with out-of-pocket expenditure reported as >$1000 and >$3000 by 69% and 21% of these applicants, respectively. If given the opportunity to visit interview sites in person following virtual interviews, applicants would have chosen to visit 3.9 ± 2.9 sites on average. Most of the applicants who matched (77%) had a VS student interest groups at their home institution. Those who matched assigned higher rating of perceived vascular mentorship during the application cycle (9.0 ± 1.8 vs 6.0 ± 3.6 on a 1-10 scale; P = .001). Applicants who matched also endorsed interest in VS earlier in medical school (year 2.1 ± 1.0 vs year 3.0 ± 0; P = .04) and were more likely to have completed a VS away rotation (79% vs 66%). Only 19% of applicants who matched and completed a VS away rotation reported matching at the same institution where they had completed their away rotation. Vascular mentorship, early specialty exposure, and completion of a VS away rotation are variables associated with a successful match into an integrated VS residency. While exposure to an institution occurs with an away rotation, the cost to the applicant is not insignificant and the majority of applicants do not match at the institution where the rotation occurred.

Early neuro-electric indication of lexical match in English spoken-word recognition.

We investigated early electrophysiological responses to spoken English words embedded in neutral sentence frames, using a lexical decision paradigm. As words unfold in time, similar-sounding lexical items compete for recognition within 200 milliseconds after word onset. A small number of studies have previously investigated event-related potentials in this time window in English and French, with results differing in direction of effects as well as component scalp distribution. Investigations of spoken-word recognition in Swedish have reported an early left-frontally distributed event-related potential that increases in amplitude as a function of the probability of a successful lexical match as the word unfolds. Results from the present study indicate that the same process may occur in English: we propose that increased certainty of a 'word' response in a lexical decision task is reflected in the amplitude of an early left-anterior brain potential beginning around 150 milliseconds after word onset. This in turn is proposed to be connected to the probabilistically driven activation of possible upcoming word forms.

An Exploration of the Relationship Between Pharmacy School Admission Variables and PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program Match

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between pharmacy school admission variables and matching to a postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residency program. MethodsDemographic data, academic indicators, and application review scores were collected for the 2017–2020 Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) graduating classes. Multiple mini-interview (MMI) scores were collected for the 2018–2020 PharmD graduating classes. Postgraduate year 1 matching data were collected for all students. Bivariate analyses were performed comparing students who matched to a PGY1 residency versus those who did not match versus those who did not pursue a residency. Logistic regression modeling was performed to explore predictors of matching to a PGY1 residency program. ResultsA total of 616 students were included. Bivariate analyses revealed that students who matched to a PGY1 had a higher undergraduate grade point average, higher pharmacy college admissions test composite score, were younger in age, and were more likely to identify as female. Students who matched also scored higher on MMI stations with constructs related to integrity, adaptability, critical thinking, and why pursuing our school. Logistic regression modeling found that an increase in age was associated with lower odds of matching to a PGY1 (0.88 [0.78–0.99]) and an increase in composite MMI station score was associated with higher odds of matching (1.8 [1.31–2.47]). ConclusionSeveral pharmacy school admission variables were found to be associated with successful matching to a PGY1 residency. These findings have the potential for impact at a programmatic level when evaluating the weight of certain criteria for admission decisions and at the individual student level when providing career services support.