The #PedsMatch21 Webinar Series: Coordinated Specialty-Level Communication During the Virtual Residency Application...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Residency Admissions
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted pediatric medical education, particularly for fourth-year students applying to residency programs.
• Alterations to traditional away rotations and in-person visits created communication challenges and applicant anxiety regarding the virtual application cycle.
• Pediatric residency program leaders also expressed concerns about maintaining effective communication with applicants using virtual tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the challenges faced by pediatric residency applicants and programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To evaluate the utility of a webinar series in facilitating communication and information exchange between residency programs and applicants.
• To assess the impact of virtual strategies on applicant anxiety and program awareness.

Main Methods:

• The @FuturePedsRes (FPR) organization, in collaboration with the Association of Pediatric Program Directors and the Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics, developed and hosted the #PedsMatch21 webinar series.
• The series comprised 9 webinars, including general overviews, regional sessions, and specialized sessions for osteopathic and international medical graduates.
• A total of 138 pediatric residency programs participated, with an average of 431 attendees per webinar.

Main Results:

• Follow-up surveys indicated that the #PedsMatch21 webinars effectively decreased applicant anxiety related to the virtual application process.
• Webinars provided crucial information for navigating the altered application season and increased applicants' awareness of participating residency programs.
• The initiative facilitated communication between a large number of applicants and 138 pediatric residency programs nationwide and internationally.

Conclusions:

• The #PedsMatch21 webinar series proved effective in mitigating applicant concerns and enhancing program access during a period of significant disruption in medical education.
• Webinar-based strategies offer a valuable and accessible method for communication and information dissemination in medical specialty training admissions.
• These virtual forums should be considered as a viable component of residency application cycles across various medical specialties.