Navigating the Mohs Fellowship Match: What Applicants Value in Programs and Their Perceptions Regarding Fellowship Directors Preferences.

Abstract

Background: The current Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology (MSDO) fellowship match process requires applicants and fellowship directors to rank each other with limited information. Fellowship directors receive standardized information about applicants, but applicants lack comparable program data.

Objective: To determine how MSDO applicants learn about fellowship programs, and what program characteristics influence their rank list decisions.

Materials and methods: All MSDO applicants to the University of Pennsylvania for the 2025 to 2026 fellowship year were invited to participate in a web-based survey distributed via email. The survey evaluated applicant characteristics, preferred information sources to learn about programs, program characteristics impacting applicants rank list, and which applicant achievements and personal characteristics they believed fellowship directors valued most. Data collection concluded when 20% of the estimated 2024 national MSDO applicant pool responded.

Results: This survey analyzed responses from 39 MSDO applicants (26% of the estimated national applicant pool). Applicants primarily relied on interviews (84.6%), program websites (82.0%), and mentors (71.8%) for information. The most valued program characteristics were clinical autonomy, complex case volume, and prior fellows' satisfaction.

Conclusion: Fellowship directors can improve match outcomes by providing clear, standardized information through program websites, structured interviews, and details on clinical training, case complexity, and fellow autonomy.