This whole "wait list" fiasco is due to the huge number of programs that everyone has applied to. If every program initially offers interviews to their top 20% of applicants then you essentially have 20% of applicants holding almost all of the interview spots, initially. Once these applicants figure out that they are going to match and they can be picky, they cancel interviews and spots open up for the wait listed people.
This has become a fear-based application process meaning people see that you need 15 ranks to have 99% chance of matching and just shell out the 1000 dollars to apply to 80+ programs. If you look at the Application Stats thread you see people with 245+ applying to 80 programs. That is kind of over kill. But, nobody wants to lose because they didn't apply widely enough, thus, widespread paranoia is fueling the waitlists. ergo ipso facto. its science.
Last year: 923 applicants for 642 spots.
What would happen if all the ortho applicants were limited to 10 applications?