Fellow Perceptions of Program Culture Conveyed Through Virtual Interviews: Aligning Perceptions With Reality

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowships
• Virtual Interviewing

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift to virtual interviews (VIs) for medical education training programs.
• Previous studies indicated a disparity in applicant perceptions of program culture during VIs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the alignment between program culture perceptions from VIs and direct experiences post-training.
• To identify specific gaps in how VIs represent program culture.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous survey was administered to first-year neonatal-perinatal medicine fellows.
• Data collected included demographics, interview experiences, and perceptions of program culture portrayal via VIs.
• Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, alongside qualitative analysis.

Main Results:

• Survey responses (n=85) indicated a median alignment score of 80% between VI perceptions and direct experience.
• Significant differences were found in perceptions of fellow-faculty relationships, fellow teaching priority, respect for fellows, and work-life integration (p < 0.05).
• Fellows were identified as crucial for conveying program culture, with suggestions for increased involvement and informal interactions.

Conclusions:

• Virtual interviews (VIs) demonstrated notable gaps in accurately representing program culture, particularly concerning interpersonal dynamics and work-life balance.
• Enhancing fellow involvement in VIs, incorporating informal settings, and utilizing social media can improve the accuracy of culture representation.
• These findings are crucial for optimizing virtual recruitment strategies in medical education.