Increasing Rate of Unfilled Training Positions in the Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology Match.

Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology (AHFTC) is a vital subspecialty addressing the growing burden of heart failure and the increasing need for advanced therapies such as mechanical circulatory support and heart transplantation. Despite rising clinical demand, interest in AHFTC fellowship training appears to be declining. This study evaluated trends in applicants, training positions, match rates, and unfilled positions in the AHFTC match from 2020 to 2025.

Sex Disparities in Spine Surgeon Leadership of Clinical Trials for Degenerative Spine Disease Research.

Introduction: Despite increasing awareness, women remain underrepresented in academic spine surgery. This study assessed whether women were equitably represented among spine surgeon PIs of clinical trials for degenerative spine disease research.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of spine surgeon principal investigators (PIs) in the United States (2015 to 2022).

Shifts in Diversity Along the Spine Surgery Training Pathway: Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Representation from Medical School to Fellowship.

Background Context: Racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented among healthcare providers in the United States (US).

Purpose: This study analyzed the training pathway of underrepresented groups in spine surgery relative to earlier stages of training and the US population.

Study Design/setting: This was a cross-sectional analysis of medical students, orthopaedic surgery residents, and spine surgery fellows at accredited training programs (2014 to 2024).

Assessing the Supply, Demand, and Adequacy of Urologic Surgeons in the United States: Forecasting Shortages to 2037.

Objective: To assess national projections of the supply, demand, and adequacy of urologic surgeons in the United States.

Materials And Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of US-based urologic surgeons using the Health Workforce Simulation Model. Supply and demand were defined as the number of full-time equivalent physicians working and needed in urology, respectively.

Brain injury medicine fellowship program growth and application rates: 2017 to 2024.

Background: The American Board of Medical Specialties recognized brain injury medicine (BIM) as a subspecialty certification for physicians from diverse training backgrounds. Increasing the number of physicians pursuing BIM fellowship training remains imperative given the increasing prevalence of patients with traumatic brain injuries.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of BIM fellowship applicants from 2017 to 2024.

Defining Percentiles for Cases Performed During Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Accredited Orthopaedic Trauma Training.

Objectives: Accrediting bodies in orthopaedic trauma education are adopting case minimum requirements to enhance orthopaedic trauma fellowship training. This study defined case volume percentiles during Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited orthopaedic trauma fellowship training.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of orthopaedic trauma fellows graduating from ACGME-accredited programs (2018-2023).

Extent of Fatty Infiltration of Lumbar Paraspinal Muscles as a Proxy for Frailty and Its Relationship with Perioperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Elective Spinal Surgery.

Study DesignRetrospective Cohort Study.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to identify the role of lumbar paraspinal muscle fatty infiltration using the Goutallier classification in predicting perioperative outcomes following elective lumbar surgery.MethodsA retrospective review was conducted on patients who underwent elective one- or two-level lumbar decompressions or instrumented fusions for degenerative pathology at a single institution over a 3 year period.

Consumer Preferences for Total Ankle Arthroplasty Versus Ankle Arthrodesis: A Conjoint Analysis of 1,410 US Healthcare Consumers.

Introduction: Few studies have analyzed consumer preferences for total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) versus ankle arthrodesis (AA). The purpose of this study was to understand consumer preferences for TAA and AA based on cost, outcomes, and other treatment attributes.

Methods: A conjoint analysis was developed and distributed using Amazon Mechanical Turk to US healthcare consumers.

Defining Benchmarks for Case Minimums During Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-Accredited Total Joint Arthroplasty Fellowship Training.

Background: Professional societies and accrediting bodies for arthroplasty training increasingly recognize the need for minimum case numbers to enhance surgical training in the United States. This study elucidated benchmarks for case minimum requirements during Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited arthroplasty fellowship training.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of ACGME-accredited arthroplasty fellows who graduated between 2018 and 2023.

The Emerging Nephrology Physician Workforce in the United States: Defining an Impending Shortfall.

Key Points: Consistent growth in the number of nephrology fellowship programs and fellowship positions along with a consistent decline in the number of applicants. Approximately one third of available nephrology fellowship training positions went unmatched. The results from this study suggest that the bottleneck to increasing the future nephrologist workforce exists in recruiting interested applicants.

Trends in supply, demand, and workforce adequacy in vascular surgery: Forecasting a national shortage.

Objective: There is currently a lack of research assessing the adequacy of the vascular surgery workforce in the United States (U.S.).

Ethnic and racial minority patients are under-represented in US clinical trials for surgical management of hip fractures.

Introduction: The impact of social determinants on clinical outcomes following surgeries for orthopaedic injuries are well-documented. In this study, we sought to quantify the representation of women, racial, and ethnic minorities in US-based clinical trials for hip fracture surgery.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis of patients enrolled in US-based, interventional clinical trials for hip fractures registered on ClinicalTrials.

Gender Differences in Salary Compensation for Academic Hand Surgery Faculty at US Medical Schools.

Purpose: This study investigated gender differences in salary compensation for hand surgery faculty at US medical schools.

Methods: Salary compensation benchmarks were analyzed from 154 US medical schools in the 2023 American Association of Medical Colleges Faculty Salary Survey. Median salaries were extracted for assistant professors, associate professors, and full professors.

Factors associated with future academic faculty appointment after spine surgery fellowship training.

Background Context: Understanding optimal training environments for future academic leaders is a topic of increasing interest in spine surgery.

Purpose: This study determined the association between surgeon factors and future academic faculty appointment after spine surgery fellowship training.

Study Design/setting: This was a retrospective observational study of spine surgery fellows in the United States (2016-2017 to 2022-2023).

Identifying Recent Trends in the Prevalence of International Medical Graduates Entering the Surgical Workforce in the United States.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to 1.) determine recent trends in the prevalence of international medical graduates (IMGs) in the US surgical workforce, and 2.) understand differences in match rates between IMGs, allopathic, and osteopathic graduates.

Establishing Benchmarks for Case Minimum Requirements During Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-Accredited Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship Training.

Background: Accrediting bodies and professional societies for surgical education are increasingly recognizing the need for case minimum requirements to enhance standardized training.

Purpose: To determine case volume benchmarks for operative training during Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited orthopaedic sports medicine fellowships in the United States.

Study Design: Cross-sectional analysis; Level of evidence, 3.

The effect of time to balloon kyphoplasty on osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) cause significant morbidity in the elderly population. This study aimed to determine the difference in pain-related outcomes in the elderly population who suffered vertebral body fractures, treated with balloon kyphoplasty at "early" (<4 weeks) and "late" (>4 weeks) stages. To the best of our knowledge, this has not been previously evaluated in a meta-analysis.

Workforce Diversity in Sports Medicine: Analysis of Recent Trends Relative to the US Population.

This was a cross-sectional study of sports medicine fellows from previous (2010-2015) and contemporary (2016-2021) training periods. There were 2315 trainees from family medicine (FM, 85%), 261 trainees from physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR, 10%), and 133 trainees from emergency medicine (EM, 5%). PMR had the highest female and Asian trainee representation while FM had the highest Black trainee representation.

Diversity in Medical School, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency, and ACGME-Accredited Foot and Ankle Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship Training by Gender, Race, and Ethnicity.

Introduction: Increasing diversity in the US health care workforce is a topic of increasing scrutiny and interest. This study analyzes the pipeline of demographic diversity for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited foot and ankle orthopaedic surgery fellowship training.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of medical students, orthopaedic surgery residents, and orthopaedic foot and ankle fellows at US-accredited training programs from 2013 to 2022.

Factors Associated With Increased Sex Diversity in Orthopaedic Trauma Association-Accredited Fellowship Training.

Introduction: This study quantifies the state of sex diversity in orthopaedic trauma training and analyzes fellowship program characteristics associated with greater sex diversity among trainees. We hypothesized that greater sex diversity among orthopaedic trauma fellows would be associated with the presence of female faculty.

Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of orthopaedic trauma faculty (2023 to 2024) and fellows (2009 to 2024).

Frailty is associated with increased complication, readmission, and hospitalization costs following primary total shoulder arthroplasty.

Background: Frailty is an age-related state of multisystem decline that has been associated with negative outcomes after surgery. Numerous methods have been utilized to quantify frailty and predict postoperative outcomes with variable results. The purpose of this study is to determine if the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) is an independent predictor of postoperative complications and increased healthcare costs following elective primary total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA).

Sex, Race, and Ethnic Diversity of the Emerging U.S. Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Workforce Is Limited.

Purpose: To analyze the demographics and trends of orthopaedic surgeons entering the U.S. orthopaedic sports medicine workforce over the past decade.

Sex Diversity in the Emerging United States Arthroplasty Workforce Is Limited.

Background: Sex diversity remains limited in the United States arthroplasty workforce. This study evaluates fellowship program characteristics associated with increased sex diversity in US-based fellowship programs and the pipeline of women trainees before arthroplasty fellowship.

Methods: Demographic data from 233,981 allopathic medical school graduates, 11,364 orthopaedic surgery residents, and 1,501 arthroplasty fellows were analyzed.

Prevalence and Extent of Industry Funding to Program Directors Across Pediatric Surgical Specialties.

Introduction: Industry funding in surgical education offers benefits but presents conflicts of interest. This study defines the prevalence and extent of industry funding to fellowship program directors (FPDs) across pediatric surgical specialties.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of FPDs in pediatric surgical specialties.