Advocacy for Medical Students Applying to Orthopaedic Surgery: A Practical Guide for Attending Physicians.

Mentorship and faculty advocacy have long been recognized as key drivers of succeeding in the orthopaedic surgery residency match. However, some attendings, particularly those who may be unfamiliar with current trends, often lack clear guidance on how to advocate effectively for students during the orthopaedic surgery residency application process. Orthopaedics is unique in that it is highly competitive, with increasingly limited positions, a strong emphasis on away rotations, and recent implementation of preference signaling. The purpose of this review article was to (1) examine the evolution of advocacy in orthopaedic surgery during the residency application process and (2) discuss safe, effective, and ethical strategies that attendings can use to advocate for medical students applying into orthopaedic surgery.