Virtual Residency Interviews: Applicant Perceptions Regarding Virtual Interview Effectiveness, Advantages, and...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology Training
• Virtual Interview Technology

Background:

• The shift towards virtual interviews in medical and psychology residency programs necessitates understanding applicant experiences.
• Limited data exists on the effectiveness and equity of virtual interview formats for graduate medical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate applicant perspectives on the effectiveness, benefits, and challenges of virtual interviews.
• To identify factors influencing equity and inclusion in virtual interview processes.
• To inform future virtual interview season planning for residency programs.

Main Methods:

• A post-interview survey was administered to 1429 interviewees across 7 residency and 2 clinical psychology programs.
• 565 interviewees (40% response rate) completed the survey in 2021.
• Data analysis focused on perceived effectiveness, advantages, disadvantages, and future preferences, stratified by demographics.

Main Results:

• High agreement (83%-96%) on virtual interview effectiveness, except for assessing institutional culture (62%).
• Key advantages included cost savings, time efficiency, and reduced travel burden; disadvantages involved time zones and technical access.
• 84% of participants desired retaining a virtual component in future interviews.
• No significant demographic disparities were found based on gender, location, race, or minority status.

Conclusions:

• Virtual interviews are perceived as effective, beneficial, and widely accepted by applicants.
• The virtual format demonstrated equity across various demographic groups.
• Applicant feedback supports the continued integration of virtual interviews in residency recruitment.