Applicant Perspectives on Virtual Otolaryngology Residency Interviews

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Graduate Medical Education
• Surgical Residency Training

Background:

• Residency interviews are crucial for applicant program evaluation and fit assessment.
• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift to virtual interviews for the first time in 2019.
• This study addresses the need to understand applicant experiences with this new format.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate applicant perspectives on the virtual residency interview process.
• To identify advantages and disadvantages of virtual interviews from the applicant's viewpoint.
• To inform future residency application and interview strategies.

Main Methods:

• A Qualtrics survey was developed to assess applicant characteristics and attitudes.
• The survey was distributed to otolaryngology applicants across three major academic institutions.
• Data was collected during the 2020-2021 application cycle.

Main Results:

• Most applicants expressed satisfaction with the virtual interview format.
• Applicants reported challenges in resident interaction quality and assessing geographic "feel".
• Significant cost savings (>$5000) and time savings (approx. 2 weeks) were reported by most applicants.

Conclusions:

• Virtual interviews are generally well-received by applicants, offering substantial financial and temporal benefits.
• Limitations regarding interaction quality and geographic assessment persist.
• Future virtual interview formats should prioritize resident engagement and consider hybrid approaches for program fit evaluation.