Personality Traits of Plastic Surgery Residency Applicants and Their Association with Match Outcomes

Background: Residency programs seek applicants who will succeed clinically, academically, and interpersonally. While metrics such as Step scores and research productivity are commonly used, they do not capture “program fit,” a highly subjective factor that likely plays a major role in selection. Personality traits, particularly those measured by the Big Five Inventory (BFI), influence communication, teamwork, and adaptability, and may contribute to program fit. However, it is unclear whether these traits are associated with match outcomes or correlate with existing measures of applicant success. This study examined personality profiles of plastic surgery applicants and their association with match outcomes. Methods: Applicants to an integrated plastic surgery residency program during the 2024-2025 cycle were invited to complete the BFI-10, which measures the Big Five traits: conscientiousness, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Responses were linked with application variables (Step 2 score, research output, applicant type, faculty rankings of applicant strength from standardized letters, and letter-writer characteristics) and de-identified prior to analysis. Associations with match outcome were assessed with univariable and multivariable logistic regression. Secondary analyses examined correlations with faculty rankings, research productivity, Step 2 scores, applicant type, and medical school NIH ranking. Results: Of 54 applicants, 46 (85%) were MD seniors, 28 (52%) were male, and 19 (35%) graduated from NIH Top 40 medical schools. 39 applicants (72%) matched into integrated plastic surgery residency (Table 1). Conscientiousness (mean 9.43/10) and Agreeableness (mean 7.91/10) were the highest-rated traits overall, while Neuroticism was lowest (mean 4.80/10) (Figure 1). Personality traits did not significantly correlate with match outcome, faculty rankings, research productivity, applicant type, or NIH Top 40 status, with the exception of Extraversion, which showed a weak correlation with Step 2 score (r=0.30, p=0.03). In univariable logistic regression, applicant type, faculty rank, research productivity, and Step 2 scores were associated with match outcome (all p<0.05); however, in multivariable regression, only research productivity remained independently predictive. Personality traits were not predictive of match outcome (Table 2). Conclusion: Big Five Inventory personality traits were not associated with student performance or match outcomes, suggesting that residency programs do not favor or avoid particular personality traits. Structured personality assessments may complement traditional applicant review in providing a more holistic evaluation. Larger studies are needed to confirm the utility of personality assessments in predicting residency match and career outcomes.