Using virtual reality as a replacement for hospital tours during residency interviews

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Virtual Reality Applications
• Residency Recruitment

Background:

• Residency programs face significant time and resource demands during recruitment.
• Virtual Reality (VR) offers a potential solution for enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• VR can serve as an adaptive substitute for real-life experiences during interview seasons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of VR tours as a cost-effective alternative to in-person facility tours.
• To assess the impact of VR tours on applicant perception of a Med-Peds residency program.
• To maximize the interview day experience for residency applicants.

Main Methods:

• An Internal Medicine-Pediatrics (Med-Peds) residency program replaced in-person children's hospital tours with VR tours.
• Applicants completed anonymous surveys regarding their VR experience and interview day preferences.
• Survey data was analyzed to gauge applicant satisfaction and the impact of VR.

Main Results:

• Two-thirds of respondents found VR tours non-inferior or superior to in-person tours.
• VR tours favorably impacted applicant perception of the residency program.
• Nearly 50% of applicants experienced some difficulty with VR technology.

Conclusions:

• VR facility tours are a viable and innovative option for residency recruitment, saving time and resources.
• VR tours can positively influence an applicant's impression of a program.
• Further research is needed, but VR tours may become essential, especially with social distancing measures.