Geographic Reach of Surgery Residency Applicants During In-Person and Virtual Interviews

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Residency Admissions
• Health Equity

Background:

• Virtual interviews may enhance opportunities for surgery residency applicants from underrepresented in medicine (UIM) and lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
• The study addresses the impact of virtual versus in-person interviews on applicant geographic reach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the geographic reach of surgical residency applicants between in-person (2019) and virtual (2020) interview formats.
• To investigate the influence of interview format on geographic reach for UIM and varying socioeconomic status applicants.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of National Resident Matching Program applications from 2019 (in-person) and 2020 (virtual).
• Geographic reach (GR) calculated as distance from applicant's location to program; socioeconomic data sourced from FFIEC.
• Multivariable analyses controlled for USMLE scores, examining interview type, UIM status, and socioeconomic status interactions.

Main Results:

• No overall difference in geographic reach between in-person and virtual interviews.
• Virtual interviews significantly increased geographic reach for UIM applicants compared to non-UIM applicants (P=.02).
• In-person interviews showed reduced geographic reach for applicants from communities with ≥7% poverty, an effect absent in virtual interviews.

Conclusions:

• Virtual interviews did not alter overall geographic reach but significantly benefited UIM and lower socioeconomic status applicants.
• The shift to virtual interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic expanded opportunities for disadvantaged applicants in surgical residency.
• Findings suggest virtual interviews can mitigate geographic and socioeconomic barriers in residency applications.