Virtual Interviews for the Independent Plastic Surgery Match: A Modern Convenience or a Modern Misrepresentation?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Applicant Experience

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid shift to virtual interviews for residency and fellowship programs.
• Plastic surgery applicants experienced a mix of in-person and virtual interviews during the 2019-2020 cycle.
• Previous preliminary use of virtual interviews did not fully prepare programs for widespread adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate applicant preference between virtual and in-person interviews in plastic surgery residency.
• To compare program perception among applicants who underwent virtual versus in-person interviews.
• To assess the impact of interview format on applicant satisfaction and program familiarity.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous online survey was administered to applicants of the Indiana University Independent Plastic Surgery program (2019-2020).
• Survey responses were collected from 60% of applicants (18 out of 30).
• Data analysis compared experiences of the in-person interview group (n=10) and the virtual interview group (n=8).

Main Results:

• In-person interviews received higher overall experience ratings (8.8 vs. 7.5, p=0.0314).
• Applicants in the in-person group reported greater familiarity with the program, faculty, and residents (p<0.0001).
• A significant majority (88.9%) favored in-person interviews, which incurred costs ($587) unlike virtual interviews ($0).

Conclusions:

• Virtual interviews offer financial and time efficiency for applicants.
• However, virtual interviews result in lower applicant satisfaction and reduced program acquaintance.
• Future virtual interview processes should be optimized to enhance applicant engagement and program understanding.