Content analysis of general surgery residency personal statements: implications for holistic review

Abstract Purpose With general surgery residency becoming increasingly competitive and traditional metrics like Step 1 scores carrying less weight, there is a growing push to adopt holistic application review processes that better identify applicants suited for training. Personal statements provide insight into applicants’ traits and experiences, but they also bring subjectivity and potential bias. In this study, 24 distinct codes were identified from personal statements across six categories, and their variation in frequency and emphasis was examined. Methods We performed a retrospective qualitative content analysis using a predefined coding framework that had been developed inductively. Each statement was reviewed by two reviewers, and 24 codes across 6 categories were identified. A comparative analysis assessed the frequency and strength of these codes by self-designated gender and URiM status, as well as those offered an interview at our program. Results On average, each personal statement contained ten codes. The most frequent codes across all applicants were self-discovery , mastery , working in teams , compassion , and responsibility . Applicants who identified as men more frequently expressed the code of application of science to patient care . URiM applicants more frequently expressed justice , cultural competence , and resilience . Applicants invited to interview more frequently expressed intellectual curiosity and application of science to patient care . Conclusions Our findings suggest that personal statements contain identifiable codes that vary in frequency and emphasis across applicant groups. Applicants invited to interview more frequently emphasized intellectual curiosity , while URiM applicants more frequently emphasized cultural competence and resilience . These findings demonstrate differences in how applicants communicate their values and experiences through personal statements.