PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Ajay Shah
AU  - Allen A. Champagne
AU  - Joshua Del Papa
AU  - Jay Toor
AU  - Jeremie Larouche
AU  - Markku T. Nousiainen
TI  - The unique impact of COVID-19 on orthopedic surgery residency applicants and program directors in Canada
AID  - 10.1503/cjs.002021
DP  - 2021 Apr 01
TA  - Canadian Journal of Surgery
PG  - E249--E252
VI  - 64
IP  - 2
4099  - http://canjsurg.ca/content/64/2/E249.short
4100  - http://canjsurg.ca/content/64/2/E249.full
SO  - CAN J SURG2021 Apr 01; 64
AB  - The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of visiting medical student electives and in-person residency interviews in Canada. Orthopedic surgery residency programs are now curtailed in their ability to self-promote and select optimal applicants. Online and social media tools should be adopted to promote programs. Faculty, residents and trainees should aim to attend virtual social and program information events. Applicants should make efforts to learn about the programs by attending events and reaching out to residents, and strengthen their application through research and other activities to demonstrate their interest and commitment to the field of orthopedic surgery. These efforts may help avoid the prospect of qualified candidates being unranked by programs or residency positions being unfilled. These difficult circumstances may serve to engender collaboration and cooperation across residency programs and medical schools and lay the foundation for a thriving interconnected ecosystem of future orthopedic surgeons.