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Published on: July 4, 2013
How prevalent are potentially illegal questions during residency interviews?
H Gene Hern1, Harrison J Alter, Charlotte P Wills
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Alameda County Medical Center, Oakland, California 94602, USA. emergentt@gmail.com
Summary
Potentially illegal questions are common in residency interviews, affecting applicants' ranking decisions. A code of conduct is needed to ensure fairness in the resident selection process.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Residency Training
- Applicant Selection
Background:
- Residency interviews are a critical step in medical training selection.
- Ensuring fair and legal interview practices is essential for equitable applicant evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of potentially illegal questions asked during residency interviews.
- To assess the impact of these questions on applicants' program ranking decisions.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to U.S. medical school applicants across five specialties in 2006-2007.
- The survey collected data on the frequency of potentially illegal questions and their effect on ranking.
Main Results:
- Over 64% of surveyed applicants reported being asked at least one potentially illegal question.
- Questions about marital status and current children were most frequent.
- Women were disproportionately asked questions about gender, marital status, and family planning.
Conclusions:
- Potentially illegal questions are frequently encountered by residency applicants.
- A formal interview code of conduct may be required to address systemic issues in resident selection.
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