Second Look Opportunity for Radiation Oncology Medical Residency During Virtual Interview Season

Despite easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions and social distancing, medical radiation oncology (RO) residency interviews for the 2023 Match remained exclusively virtual. Virtual interviews can be limited in providing program atmosphere, resident camaraderie, and city culture. Our institution offered a voluntary in-person (IP) second look (SL) to address these concerns and supplement the virtual interview.

A voluntary IP SL was offered on 3 dates to all applicants who successfully interviewed with the RO department for the 2023 Match (n = 54). Attendees of the SLs (n = 38) were invited to complete a voluntary 10-question anonymous survey after Match Day regarding their perspectives on this opportunity, including motivations for attending, financial burdens, and perceived benefits of SLs.

Thirty-eight individuals (70%) attended 1 of the departmental SLs with 19 participants (50%) completing the survey. Sixteen out of 19 (84%) participants traveled >200 miles to attend. All surveyed applicants expressed gratitude for the IP SL opportunity and agreed that such opportunities should continue to be offered with exclusively virtual residency interviews. All participants reported that their decision to attend the SL was influenced by departmental financial support. Two applicants felt pressured to attend the SL to remain competitive for the program. The majority of applicants agreed that they achieved a better understanding of the program culture and the larger institution, resident camaraderie, and the surrounding city from this IP SL encounter compared to the virtual interview alone (18, 94%).

These IP SL opportunities were well-attended, well-received, and offered insights and experiences to RO resident applicants in the setting of exclusively virtual interviews. The cost of attendance may be a limiting factor when applicants are deciding to attend IP SLs. Caution is needed to ensure that applicants do not feel obligated to attend and SLs are not used as a platform for inappropriate post-interview communication.