Not From Around Here: Evaluation of In-Person Interviews in an Urban General Surgery Residency Program

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Program Evaluation

Background:

• Residency programs increasingly adopt virtual interviews.
• Evaluating the effectiveness and applicant perception of in-person interviews is crucial for general surgery programs.
• The Graduate Medical Education Committee identified key domains for assessing interview appropriateness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate applicant and interviewer perceptions of in-person interviews for a general surgery residency program.
• To inform decisions regarding the optimal format for residency recruitment interviews.

Main Methods:

• A program evaluation approach was used with de-identified data from the 2023 General Surgery Residency Program recruitment cycle.
• Applicant and faculty/resident exit surveys were electronically administered to assess perceptions of in-person interviewing.
• Surveys were designed based on Graduate Medical Education Committee-identified domains for interview feasibility and appropriateness.

Main Results:

• 86% of applicants and 100% of faculty/residents completed the exit surveys.
• 49.1% of applicants preferred in-person interviews, 40.0% preferred a choice, and 10.9% preferred virtual interviews.
• Out-of-state applicants showed a significantly higher preference for in-person interviews and greater confidence in assessing fit.

Conclusions:

• A majority of general surgery residency applicants and faculty are comfortable with in-person interviews.
• Out-of-state applicants demonstrated a strong preference for and positive perception of in-person interviews.
• General surgery residency programs should develop comprehensive evaluation strategies to make informed decisions about interview formats.