• Noah Embry, Alexandra Richards, Isabella Amado, and David Shau.
• From the Department of Surgery, Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University, Fort Worth.
• South. Med. J. 2024 Mar 1; 117 (3): 128134128-134.

ObjectivesOrthopedic surgery is a highly competitive field. The residency applicant pool is expected to grow with the increasing number of new medical schools in the United States, posing significant challenges for applicants. This study explored the impact of an engaged faculty mentor in an orthopedic surgery interest group (OSIG) at a new medical school and the impact it has on students. The study aimed to uncover the most valuable features of an OSIG at a new medical school to create a blueprint for other student-leaders and/or faculty in future initiatives.MethodsAn observational study was conducted via survey responses from active OSIG members at a new medical school in Texas. Questions were mostly in a "before and after" format asking about students' perspectives of the group before and after the addition of an engaged faculty advisor. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data.ResultsTwenty of 21 (95.2%) eligible OSIG members participated in the study. The survey results revealed that faculty engagement significantly enhanced the OSIG and its members' medical school experience. Following faculty involvement, average OSIG event attendance more than tripled, there was a statistically significant increase in medical student well-being, and confidence in their ability to be a competitive orthopedic surgery applicant nearly doubled. OSIG participation influenced their career interests significantly more after faculty engagement. A total of 93.3% of participants voted that they felt having an engaged faculty advisor is critical for the OSIG.ConclusionsMentorship was identified as the most crucial activity for career development, followed by clinical exposure and research. The study provides valuable insights for new medical schools in establishing and optimizing OSIGs and potentially other interest groups, particularly in competitive specialties.

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