Virtual Interviews in Neurosurgery Resident Selection: A Follow-up Report

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Residency Matching

Background:

• The 2021 U.S. neurosurgery residency match utilized virtual interviews.
• Applicant and interviewer satisfaction with this virtual process was surveyed.
• A follow-up survey assessed satisfaction post-match for faculty and 2022 interns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine satisfaction levels with virtual interviews in neurosurgery residency.
• To evaluate the perceived effectiveness of virtual interviews for assessing resident competence and program fit.
• To understand intern satisfaction with the virtual interview process and match outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Online surveys were distributed to 116 U.S. neurosurgery training programs.
• Surveys targeted faculty interviewers and resident intern classes.
• Quantitative data (mean Likert scores) and qualitative themes from open-ended responses were analyzed.

Main Results:

• 32 interns and 73 faculty responded.
• Most respondents found virtual interviews convenient and cost-effective.
• Faculty were divided on effectiveness for assessing competence (44%) and fit (27%), while interns were satisfied with the process (75%).

Conclusions:

• Virtual interviews offer significant time and cost benefits.
• A potential drawback is the reduced ability for faculty to assess candidate program fit.
• Interns reported high overall satisfaction with the virtual interview process and residency match results.