I'm a female thrid year DO student wanting to pursue an orthopedics residency. I just completed an ortho rotation and loved it, got honors marks and a strong letter from my preceptor. However, looking at current residents in programs most to all are male. I have also heard about 2 women not getting interviews in the year ahead of me at my school. What are my chances of matching to a DO residency as a woman?
I can only speak from what I saw on recent rotations and interviews (current 4th year). Three places I interviewed had women (St. Mary's Blue Springs, MO Riverside, CA and Doctors Hospital). Each had one. I've heard the Riverside, CA likes to take women but just had the one but I interviewed with two women in my group. The Doctors interview had at least 3 but had 37 total interviewees. OKC had one female at the interview and KC none.
Overall it's definitely the boys club but it is one of the few truly physically demanding fields of medicine. Holding large legs, reducing ankles, and hammering home IM nails takes strength but also if you know the proper technique you won't need so much brut force. There are definitely programs out there that take females, and also there are some that won't. Keep trying to find as much info as you can. Otherwise start scheduling rotations as early as you can (now is a good time to start) that way you can choose where and when you rotate. Read Handbook religiously, know your anatomy cold, and knock your rotations out of the park. I think most programs are looking for the best applicant and aren't (hopefully) concerned with the gender of the applicant.
