# The Ortho Surgery Match Game: Signaling, Away Rotations, Research Years, and More

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/aaos-now-podcast-1219022/the-ortho-surgery-match-game-signaling-away-rotations-research-years-and-more
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/aaos-now-podcast-1219022/the-ortho-surgery-match-game-signaling-away-rotations-research-years-and-more.md
Podcast: [AAOS Now Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/aaos-now-podcast-1219022)
Published: 2026-05-29T19:11:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/DHT2074598672.mp3
Audio file: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/DHT2074598672.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/aaos-now-podcast-1219022/episodes/the-ortho-surgery-match-game-signaling-away-rotations-research-years-and-more
Duration seconds: 2411

## Resource

In this episode of the AAOS Now Podcast, host Richard Schaefer, MD, FAAOS, sits down with two of orthopaedic surgery's most dedicated advocates for medical student mentorship, William Levine, MD, FAAOS, and Amiethab Aiyer, MD, FAAOS, for a candid conversation about the residency Match process. The discussion tackles the nuts, bolts, and controversies of today's highly competitive application landscape, including how signaling helps students whittle down the number of programs they apply to, why away rotations may have gotten out of hand, and whether every student really needs to do a research year. Drs. Levine and Aiyer share how their decades-long professional relationship helped shape their commitment to guiding the next generation of orthopaedic surgeons. They explain that mentorship is a bidirectional partnership in which the mentee must put forth more than just a desire to learn. They talk about the importance of building a diverse "board" of mentors across institutions. And they encourage students to seek out mentors, including near-peers, who have their “finger on the pulse” of the rapidly-evolving Match process. The episode closes with a candid challenge to prospective applicants: Before attempting to match into orthopaedic surgery, ask yourself why you want to be an orthopaedic surgeon. According to Dr. Levine, mentors should require all of their mentees to answer that question — and if the answer is iffy, encourage them to consider a different specialty. Key Topics Covered in this Episode How the residency Match process works: from application to Match Day Building a mentorship "board": why one mentor isn't enough and how to cultivate relationships across institutions Mentorship as a bidirectional partnership: what mentees must bring to the relationship The o…

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