Psychiatry Match Rates Increase After Exposure to a Medical Student Mentorship Program: A Multisite Retrospective Cohort Analysis

Objective: Since 2002, the Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation (KTGF) has supported a network of medical student mentorship programs (MSMPs) across the USA with the explicit aim of enhancing interest in, and eventual recruitment into the field of child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP). The authors conducted a multisite, retrospective cohort analysis to examine the impact of the program on career selection, as reflected by graduation match rates into psychiatry or pediatrics. Methods: The authors collected graduating match information (2008–2019) from fourteen participating medical schools (Exposed) and thirteen non-participating schools (Control). Control schools were selected based on region, comparable student body and faculty size, national standing, and rank in NIH funding. Match rates into psychiatry and pediatrics were compared between Exposed and Control groups. Results: Exposed schools had significantly higher match rates into psychiatry as compared to unexposed schools (6.1% and 4.8%, respectively; OR [95%CI] = 1.29 [1.18, 1.40]; X² = 32.036, p < 0.001). In contrast, during the same time period, exposed schools had significantly lower match rates into pediatrics than unexposed ones (11.6 and 10.5%, respectively; OR [95%CI] = 0.89 (0.83, 0.95); X² = 12.127, p < 0.001). These findings persisted even after adjustment for secular trends in match rates. Conclusions: Seventeen years after its inception, the KTGF medical student mentorship program network has had a positive impact on match rates into general psychiatry. Future studies will address whether these results translate to trainees’ eventual selection of careers in CAP.