Faculty Collaboration Database

Multicenter Study of Optional In-Person Visits to Residency Programs After Virtual Interviews. J Grad Med Educ 2023 Dec;15(6):692-701

Date

12/04/2023

Pubmed ID

38045944

Pubmed Central ID

PMC10686638

DOI

10.4300/JGME-D-23-00370.1

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85178649384 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)

Abstract

Background Compared to in-person recruitment, virtual interviewing reduces costs and promotes equity. However, many residency applicants believe that visiting programs helps inform their rank decisions. Objective We assessed the feasibility of and stakeholder opinions about optional in-person visits after virtual interviewing and program rank list finalization. Methods Six internal medicine residency programs conducted virtual recruitment in 2022-2023 and finalized their rank lists 4 weeks before the deadline. Applicants were invited for optional in-person visits after program rank list finalization. Interviewed applicants, program directors, and program administrators were given surveys that included 7-17 questions and employed "skip logic," discrete answers (eg, "yes/no/unsure" or multiple choice), and open-ended questions. Survey questions assessed stakeholders' opinions about the value, equity, and potential downsides of this recruitment process. Results Participating programs interviewed an average of 379 applicants (range 205-534) with 39 (10.3% [39 of 379], range 7.9%-12.8% [33 of 420-51 of 397]) applicants completing in-person visits. Of 1808 interviewed applicants, 464 responded to the survey (26%); 88% (407 of 464) believe a similar optional in-person visit should be offered next year, 75% (347 of 464) found this process equitable, but only 56% (258 of 464) trusted programs not to change their rank lists. Nearly all who attended an in-person visit (96.5%, 109 of 113) found it valuable. All program directors liked the optional in-person visit and believe future applicants should be offered similar in-person visits. Conclusions A large majority of participating applicants and program directors believe that in-person visits should be offered after program rank list finalization. The majority of respondents felt this recruitment process was equitable.

Author List

O'Connor AB, Blatt AE, Fletcher KE, Martin SK, Rasnake MS, Uthlaut BS, Williams DM

Author

Kathlyn E. Fletcher MD Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Administrative Personnel
Communication
Humans
Internship and Residency
Surveys and Questionnaires