Computerized Residency Interview Scheduling: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Categorical General Surgery Applicants

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Residency Admissions
• Healthcare Administration

Background:

• Interview scheduling for general surgery residency is a time-consuming and stressful process for both applicants and program coordinators.
• Current methods often involve extensive email and phone communication, leading to inefficiencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a computerized scheduling program (CSP) in optimizing general surgery interview scheduling.
• To determine if CSPs reduce scheduling time, decrease coordinator workload, and enhance applicant satisfaction compared to traditional methods.

Main Methods:

• A prospective randomized controlled trial compared standard email/phone scheduling with a CSP (InterviewBroker) for general surgery applicants.
• Data collected included time to schedule, communication volume, reschedules, withdrawals, and cancellations.
• Applicant satisfaction was assessed via anonymous surveys.

Main Results:

• The CSP group experienced significantly less scheduling time (9 vs. 80 minutes) and fewer communications (3 vs. 1).
• Applicants using CSPs reported higher overall satisfaction (80% vs. 56%) and better access to preferred interview dates (80% vs. 53%).
• Despite benefits, CSP adoption remains low among general surgery programs.

Conclusions:

• Computerized scheduling programs expedite interview scheduling and improve applicant satisfaction in general surgery residency.
• Widespread adoption of CSPs is recommended to streamline the interview process for both applicants and residency programs.
• Further implementation of CSPs could significantly enhance efficiency and applicant experience in surgical residency recruitment.