Career Resources

Pediatric Orthopaedic Fellowship Match

Information for Prospective Applicants

Along with the other subspecialty societies within orthopaedics, pediatric orthopaedic surgery has moved to a single fellowship match day, supervised by the San Francisco Matching Program (SFMP). POSNA’s affiliation with SFMP is a part of an AAOS supervised program for all orthopaedic surgery subspecialty fellowship matches. To participate in the pediatric orthopaedic surgery match, applicants must register with the SFMP on their website. The registration fees are outlined on the website and vary depending of the number of programs to which a resident applies..

Website: http://www.sfmatch.org/
 

Considering a Fellowship and Career in Pediatric Orthopaedics?

Pursuing a fellowship and career in pediatric orthopaedics is a challenging, but intensely rewarding endeavor. Unlike in skeletally mature patients, the growing skeleton affords unique solutions and problems for the orthopaedic surgeon. More often than not, the outcome of the pediatric orthopaedic surgeon’s interventions affects a lifetime of improvement in the quality of function for the patient. As a result, pediatric orthopaedic care necessitates long-term follow up, and with time, mutually satisfying and sustained relationships usually develop between surgeon and family. Pediatric orthopaedic surgery is satisfying work and pediatric orthopaedic surgeons typically become very committed to their craft and their patients.

The broad scope of practice of a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon includes the treatment of a wide range of musculoskeletal deformities/pathologies across a wide range of ages (infants, children, and adolescents/young adults). Nonoperative (e.g. casting, bracing, etc.) and operative techniques are used to provide comprehensive musculoskeletal care for both skeletally immature and recently mature patients. Because of the variety of patient disorders that are encountered, pediatric orthopaedic surgeons are well skilled to operate on all parts of the musculoskeletal system from the spine to the toes. While many pediatric orthopaedists enjoy a general practice, some do choose to subspecialize over the course of their careers. Just a few of the possibilities for sub-specialization include spine, upper extremity, lower extremity/deformity, foot and ankle, neuromuscular disorders, and sports medicine.

Both the clinical setting and practice profile of the pediatric orthopaedic surgeon in North America is quite variable. Many practice as part of a group of orthopaedic surgical subspecialists either in private practice or within an Orthopaedic Department of a university. Others practice in groups of pediatric orthopaedic surgeons, possibly in private practice, or as part of an Orthopaedic Department or perhaps as a full-time employee at a system of hospitals. Many pediatric orthopaedic surgeons select solo practice in either large or small communities. Regardless of practice type, pediatric orthopaedic surgeons are often closely associated with a children’s hospital. The children’s hospital professional staff both encourages and enables caregivers to provide not only state of the art care, but also new and innovative multi-disciplinary treatments for many of the numerous pediatric musculoskeletal pathologies. Many of the possible practice settings for the pediatric orthopaedic surgeon provide an appropriate setting for teaching, clinical, and/or basic science research.

There is no subspecialty certification process for pediatric orthopaedic surgery, although most practicing pediatric orthopaedic surgeons have completed at least one year of fellowship training.

Prior Match Data

2023 Match Summary
(2024-2025 Fellowship)

  • 44 programs offering 72 fellowship positions
  • 101 total applicants
    • 47 North American
    • 54 International applicants
  • North American applicants match 100%
    • All unmatched were international applicants
  • 98% of applicants matched at one of their top 5 choices from 2017-2023
 


2022 Match Summary
(2023-2024 Fellowship)

  • 44 programs offering 71 fellowship positions
  • 91 total applicants in the match    
  • North American applicants match 100%
    • All unmatched were international applicants
 

2021 Match Summary
(2022-2023 Fellowship)

  • 45 programs offering 73 fellowship positions
  • 96 total applicants in the match
    • 57 North American applicants
    • 39 International applicants
  • North American applicants matched 100% 
    • 17 international applicants were “unmatched”
  • 99% of applicants matched at one of their top 5 choices for the past 5 years
 

2020 Match Summary
(2021-2022 Fellowship)

  • 44 programs offering 72 fellowship positions
  • 68 total applicants in the match
    • 42 applicants from North American programs
    • 26 International applicants
  • North American applicants matched 98% (41/42)
    • 13 International applicants were “ummatched”
    • 6 applicants matched in other subspecialties
  • 93% of applicants matched at one of their top 5 choices for the past 4 years
 

2019 Match Summary
(2020-2021 Fellowship)

  • 42 programs offering 70 fellowship positions
  • 68 total applicants in the match
    • 51 applicants from North American programs
    • 17 International applicants
  • North American applicants matched 100% (51/51)
    • 7 International applicants were “ummatched”
    • 5 applicants matched in other subspecialties
  • 93% of applicants matched at one of their top 5 choices for the past 4 years
May 2019 Fellowship Directors Meeting Report
 

2018 Match Summary
(2019-2020 Fellowship)

  • 45 programs offering 73 fellowship positions
  • 76 total applicants in the match
    • 48 applicants from North American programs
    • 28 International applicants
  • North American applicants matched 100%
    • 20 International applicants were “ummatched”
  • 96% of applicants matched at one of their top 5 choices

May 2018 Fellowship Directors Meeting Report
 

2017 Match Summary
(2018-2019 Fellowship)

  • 47 programs offering 75 fellowship positions
  • 64 total applicants in the match
    • 50 applicants from North American programs
    • 14 International applicants
  • North American applicants matched 100%
    • 7 International applicants were “ummatched”
  • 96% of applicants matched at one of their top 5 choices
May 2017 Fellowship Directors Meeting Report
 

2016 Match Summary
(2017-2018 Fellowship)

  • 45 programs offering 73 fellowship positions
  • 75 total applicants in the match
    • 51 applicants from North American programs
    • 24 International applicants
  • North American applicants matched (99%)
    • 24 International applicants were “ummatched”
  • 100% of applicants matched at one of their top 5 choices
  • 46% of applicants matched at their top choice
April 2016 Fellowship Directors Meeting Report
 

Grievances & Violations

Both applicants and fellowship programs are committed to the rules and outcomes of the match program. Violations of the match process (such as accepting a position outside of the match from a program inside the match) will be heard by the POSNA fellowship match grievance committee and sanctions may be levied against the fellowship program and/or the applicant.
 

Code of Conduct

The pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship match is part of a single match process through the SF Match and therefore subject to the AAOS Board of Specialty Societies guidelines. To make the application process as equitable as possible, programs and applicants must abide by the BOS Code of Conduct and may be subject to sanctions for violations of match guidelines. Programs and applicants must sign that they agree to the Code of Conduct and Match Sanctions to begin the match process with SF Match. Programs and applicants should not allow or arrange for non-interview program visits during the match cycle period (i.e., between when the SF Match site opens for applications and when the match is announced). Please contact the Fellowship Training/Qualifications for Practice committee with any questions.