Face Time or FaceTime: A Survey of Emergency Medicine Residency Applicants Regarding the In-Person Interview
Emily Jameyfield1, Rebecka Hoffman1, Danielle Gibson2
1Department of Emergency Medicine Yale School of Medicine New Haven Connecticut USA.
Background:
While virtual residency interviews improve accessibility and convenience, concerns have emerged about limited interpersonal engagement and applicant ability to assess program culture. This study explores emergency medicine (EM) applicants' perceptions of virtual versus in-person interviews during the 2024-25 application cycle.
Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional survey of applicants to an urban academic EM residency program in the northeastern United States. The survey was distributed via Qualtrics after applicants and the program certified their rank lists but before Match Day. It assessed interview format preferences, and factors influencing program ranking. Data analysis followed the STROBE reporting guidelines, and an adjunct analysis of free-text responses followed a standard descriptive approach of two-reviewer thematic analysis.
Results:
Of 226 applicants, 89 responded (39% response rate). Of respondents, 36 (40%) attended one in-person interview, while 19 (21%) attended four or more. In-person interviewing was preferred by 49 (55%) and virtual by 26 (29%). Travel distance, financial burden, and program reputation were top considerations in whether applicants accepted in-person interviews. Respondents felt that compared to virtual interviews, in-person interviews allowed better assessment of program "fit" (N = 76, 85%), quality of residents (N = 57, 64%), desirability of location (N = 80, 90%), and program culture/environment (N = 73, 82%). Ultimately 49% of respondents (N = 44) reported that interviewing in-person positively influenced a program's position on their rank list, while 42% (N = 37) claimed no impact and 9% (N = 8) said it negatively impacted their position.
Conclusion:
Applicants who accepted an in-person interview to a single urban academic EM residency program reported that in-person interviews allowed them to better assess the factors most important in building their rank lists: overall fit, desirability of location, and interview day experience. Applicants also reported a general preference for in-person interviews. While virtual interviews continue to offer advantages in cost, convenience, and accessibility, this study highlights applicant perspectives on in-person interviewing.
