THE BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW, A METHOD TO EVALUATE ACGME COMPETENCIES IN RESIDENT SELECTION: A PILOT PROJECT

Interviews are a key part of the recruiting process in resident selection. Most programs use an unstructured resume-based interview. In 1999, the ACGME endorsed six competencies including behaviors as well as knowledge. Studies of interviews in the business community which use structured, behavioral interviews show more validity in future job success when essential job related behaviors are required. The premise of the behavioral interview is that past behavior is predictive of future behavior For this reason we introduced in the 2003-2004 recruiting season a behavioral interview to assess four ACGME competencies in the resident candidate- Professionalism, Patient Care, Communication Skills and System Based Practice. Provided in this report is a description of the process used to create the interview questions, the rating system, how it was introduced to candidates and faculty and its acceptance in the recruiting process for anesthesiology residents.