Is otolaryngology competitive? How important are the USMLEs, research, med school reputation, and AOA membership for matching into otolaryngology? Is otolaryngology IMG-friendly? And what is the DO match rate for otolaryngology programs?
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about otolaryngology’s competitiveness in 2022. In the process, you’ll learn what to focus on – and what not to – to maximize your chances of matching into this desirable specialty.
Summary:
- Otolaryngology Overall Competitiveness: High
- Research Importance: High
- USMLE Importance: High
- Importance of Attending Top 40 Med School: High
- Importance of Class Rank / Obtaining AOA (Med School Honors): Moderately High
Table of Contents
Is Otolaryngology Competitive in 2022?
One way to assess the competitiveness of a specialty is to look at the match rate – the % of people who apply who end up matching into their preferred specialty.
Among US Seniors, the unmatched percentage was 30.8%, making it moderately competitive among US residencies. The match rate for otolaryngology is better than the most competitive specialties like plastic surgery and orthopedic surgery. However, otolaryngology is considerably more competitive than pediatrics, emergency medicine, general surgery, or even neurological surgery in the 2022 match.
For more on the most competitive US specialties, see this article.
Otolaryngology Match Rate
What is the Otolaryngology match rate for US seniors, DO seniors, and IMGs? The “match rate” is the % of people who applied to a particular specialty as their preferred specialty who successfully matched into the specialty.
- US Senior Otolaryngology Match Rate (2022 Match): 69.2%
- DO Senior Otolaryngology Match Rate (2022 Match): 60%
- US IMG Otolaryngology Match Rate (2022 Match): 0%
- Non-US IMG Otolaryngology Match Rate (2022 Match): 0%
See below for more on matching into Otolaryngology as a DO or IMG.
Otolaryngology Match Statistics 2022
In 2022, there were 361 otolaryngology positions available in the NRMP match. A total of 556 applicants listed it as their preferred specialty.
In the 2022 Match, otolaryngology ranked #15 out of 22 specialties for most total positions offered, behind:
- Internal medicine: 9,809 positions
- Family medicine: 4,926 positions
- Emergency medicine: 2,921 positions
- Anesthesiology: 1,969 positions
- Orthopedic Surgery: 875 positions
- Pathology: 631 positions
How Many Applicants Receive Interviews in Otolaryngology?
According to the 2021 Program Director survey, each Otolaryngology program received 407 applications on average. Other data include:
- Applications received (Otolaryngology): 407
- Applications rejected based on standardized screen (Otolaryngology): 67
- Applications receiving holistic review (Otolaryngology): 340
- Interview invitations sent (Otolaryngology): 56
- Applicants interviewed (Otolaryngology): 49
- Applicants ranked (Otolaryngology): 46
Looking at the percentages, we can see that for the 2021 Match:
- 16% of Otolaryngology applications were rejected via standardized screen,
- Only 84% of Otolaryngology applications received a holistic review,
- 14% of Otolaryngology applications received an interview invitation, and
- 11% of all Otolaryngology applicants were ranked to match
Otolaryngology is Not Very Reliant on Screens
Many specialties, including otolaryngology, rely on standardized screens to weed out applicants. In the 2021 Program Director Survey, otolaryngology PDs respondents reported that 16% of applications were rejected via standardized screen. This ranked near the lower end when compared to other residencies.
USMLE Scores for Otolaryngology
Step 1 scores for otolaryngology for matched US seniors reflect its high level of competitiveness.
Otolaryngology Step 1 Scores (Matched Applicants in 2022 Match):
- 25%ile: 259
- Median: 250
- 75%ile: 244
Step 1 Otolaryngology Scores Are Higher Compared to Other Specialties (2022 Match)
Similarly, Step 2 CK scores for otolaryngology for matched US seniors reflect its competitiveness.
Otolaryngology Step 2 CK Scores (Matched Applicants in 2022 Match):
- 25%ile: 265
- Median: 258
- 75%ile: 250
Step 2 CK Otolaryngology Scores Are Higher than Other Specialities (2022 Match)
See this article for more on USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK percentiles for each specialty and the overall percentiles.
Matching into Otolaryngology as a DO
Matching into Otolaryngology as a DO is moderately competitive, with a 60% match rate and 6% of spots filled by DO Seniors in the 2022 Match. In 2022, 35 DO seniors applied for Otolaryngology; 21 matched.
Otolaryngology is Moderately DO-Friendly (2022 Match)
For more on the most DO-friendly specialties, see this article.
Is Otolaryngology IMG Friendly?
Otolaryngology is not IMG-friendly, with an overall 0% match rate and 0% of spots filled by IMGs in the 2022 Match.
Otolaryngology is Not IMG-Friendly (2022 Match)
We can see that US IMGs and non-US IMGs have the same rate (0%) in Otolaryngology.
For Otolaryngology, US IMGs and Non-US IMGs have 0% match rates
For more on the most IMG-friendly specialties, see this article.
Otolaryngology-Friendly IMG Residency Programs
For a list of the most IMG-friendly otolaryngology programs, see this article.
How Much Do Otolaryngologists Make per Year? Per Hour?
Otolaryngologists have an average annual salary of $469,000. This can vary dramatically based on practice setting, specialty training, and experience level.
Otolaryngologists make $469,000 per year on average
However, annual salaries can be misleading. Some specialties work much more than others. By considering the estimated hours worked per year for otolaryngologists, we get an estimated hourly salary of $184/hr.
Otolaryngologists make roughly $184/hr on average when taking in hours worked per year
See this article for more on physician annual salaries and estimated hourly wage by specialty.
How Important is AOA for Otolaryngology?
AOA – Alpha Omega Alpha – is the med school honors society. Each school may elect up to 20% of the graduating class of students.
Having AOA membership confers a greater advantage to matching into some specialties more than others. Often this AOA advantage is greatest for the most competitive specialties.
AOA membership correlated with a 22% match rate advantage for Otolaryngology in the 2022 Match
In the 2022 Match, the match rate for US seniors with AOA membership was 22% greater than that of US seniors without AOA membership. AOA membership provided a moderately large advantage to matching into an otolaryngology residency.
A number of schools do not have AOA chapters. Even in those schools, many of them rank students against each other. Regardless of AOA status, we can see that class rank is an important factor in successfully matching into otolaryngology.
For more on AOA medical schools and the importance of class rank for matching, see this article.
How Many Publications for Otolaryngology Residency in 2022
Research is an important characteristic for matching into many specialties, particularly the most competitive. So, how many publications do you need to match into an otolaryngology residency?
In 2022, the mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications for US seniors who matched into otolaryngology was 17.2. The mean number of research experiences was 7.3.
Do I Need an MD-PhD to Match Into Otolaryngology?
You may wonder how much an MD-PhD helps with matching into otolaryngology. It appears that having a PhD correlates with a large advantage when applying to otolaryngology. Specifically, the match rate for those with a PhD is 30% higher than for those without one when applying into otolaryngology.
Having a PhD correlated with a 30% match rate advantage for Otolaryngology in the 2022 Match
Note that those with PhDs are relatively rare among otolaryngology residents. In fact, 3.6% of matched applicants into otolaryngology had a PhD in 2022.
3.6% of matched applicants to Otolaryngology had an MD-PhD in 2022
Should You Attend a Top Medical School to Match Into Otolaryngology?
Does attending a top medical school help with matching into Otolaryngology? According to the program director survey results above, 35.7% of Otolaryngology PDs consider medical school reputation when considering whom to interview. The mean importance score was 3.7.
Similarly, we can look at the advantage to attending a school in the top 40 by NIH funding. In 2022, there was a 13% advantage in match rate to those attending a school in the top 40 for NIH funding vs. those who did not.
Graduating from a medical school ranked in the top 40 by NIH funding correlated with a 13% match rate advantage for Otolaryngology in the 2022 Match
Does an MPH or MBA Help Match Into Otolaryngology?
Medical training is long. Despite this, many consider – or complete – other degrees, like MPHs or MBAs.
But how much of an advantage – or disadvantage – does an MPH (Master of Public Health) or MBA (Master of Business Administration) confer when applying into otolaryngology? Not much, it turns out. In fact, the match rate for US seniors with other degrees was equal to the rate for those without other degrees.
These statistics imply that having a second degree that isn’t a PhD doesn’t appear to help your chances of matching into otolaryngology.
Having another degree like an MBA or MPH correlated with a 0% match rate disadvantage for Otolaryngology in the 2022 Match
What Are the Best Otolaryngology Programs?
While otolaryngology may be competitive, the most desirable programs will always be extremely difficult to enter. So, which are the best otolaryngology residency programs?
Opinions will vary. However, some of the most desirable otolaryngology residency programs would include:
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- University of California-San Francisco
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- Stanford Health Care
- Duke University Hospital
- Johns Hopkins University
Concluding Thoughts
So how competitive is otolaryngology in 2022? Based on the statistics, it is highly competitive. It is not as competitive as specialties like plastic surgery or orthopedic surgery. However, it does provide a large advantage to have research experience, extra credentials like AOA membership, or an Ivy League education to match in otolaryngology.
That said, it is still possible to match into otolaryngology with a lot of hard work. While it is true for all specialties, USMLE scores – and particularly Step 2 CK – will be emphasized moving forward, particularly given how high the scores needed to match into otolaryngology are.
To learn more about how to master – not memorize – for impressive USMLE scores and higher-class rankings, sign up for a free consultation. You can learn more about how Yousmle can help you to make the most of your time, to excel in your classes, Board exams, and the extracurriculars that are critical to matching.
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