Family practice resident selection using a videotaped interview

The selection interview is by its nature unstructured and likely to yield inconsistent information about candidates, whether for a job or a residency program. The selection interview is seen by some to be an unreliable tool for evaluation of residency candidates. This paper describes a structured, videotaped interview that was designed to increase the reliability of resident selection. The format was well received by faculty members and was found to contribute to highly accurate discrimination among residency candidates. The implications of using this type of interview for selection of family practice residents are discussed.