Finding the Right Fit: Motivating Factors of Ultrasound Fellowship Candidates

Background: Clinical ultrasound fellowships are now available, including those accredited by the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Accreditation Council (EUFAC). We sought to explore the motivations for applying to clinical ultrasound fellowships, including the variables applicants consider most important when selecting between individual fellowship programs. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of applicants using the Society of Clinical Ultrasound Fellowships (SCUF) online application platform. Applicants who entered the Match for fellowship positions starting in 2024 were eligible. An expert panel developed the survey questionnaire. Applicants rated the importance of program factors on a 1–7 Likert scale, with 1 being “not at all important” and 7 being “extremely important.” Means and standard deviations are reported. The Mann-Whitney U test was utilized to compare variables between subsets of applicants. Results: Forty-nine out of 145 (34%) participants responded to the survey. The median number of programs applied to was 7 and 98% of applicants matched. Of these, 81% matched at their first choice. The most important factors applicants cited to pursue fellowship training were improving ultrasound teaching skills (6.6 +/− 0.6) and improving ultrasound skills (6.5 +/− 0.8). The most important factors applicants cited when assessing programs were quality of program (6.5 +/− 0.7) and good personality fit (6.3 +/− 0.7). Conclusions: Applicants pursue ultrasound fellowship training primarily to enhance their teaching and clinical skills. When assessing between programs, perceived quality and good fit with the program were most important. These findings can guide stakeholders in aligning fellowship offerings with applicant priorities.