by Olivia Ojano Sheehan, PhD, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens, OH; Eric Mast, DO, Firelands Regional Medical Center, Sandusky, OH

Introduction

The Coalition for Physician Accountability¹ recently published recommendations that resulted in residency programs pivoting to virtual interviews. Specifically, the Coalition’s class of 2022 guidelines² recommended all interviews be conducted virtually for the 2021-2022 cycle. Family medicine (FM) organizations have recommended that the impact of virtual interviews on FM should be studied.³ Several non-FM studies^4-10 have shared key findings about virtual interviews.

It is important to contribute to the literature and learn at the program level how to best approach the virtual interview process that would be beneficial to the program and to the applicants. The objective of our study was to describe the satisfaction and perception of Ohio FM PDs and faculty about virtual interviews during the 2021-2022 residency recruitment cycle.

Methods

We developed an online Qualtrics survey regarding satisfaction of program directors (PDs) and faculty in their ability to evaluate applicants virtually and the challenges and benefits of virtual interview. The investigators used convenience sampling.¹¹ The respondents were from 12 Ohio FM residency programs that maintain academic affiliations with the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (HCOM) and regularly participate in HCOM-sponsored FM clinical division educational forums.¹² The survey was emailed in April 2022. Responses were collected and numerically coded. Results were deidentified and pooled for generalized data analysis using SAS/STAT software.

Results

Fifteen PDs and faculty responded to the survey. Table 1 shows the percentage of PDs and faculty satisfaction in judging professionalism, interpersonal and communication skills, fit, and virtual interview process. 

Table 1: Percentage of Program Directors and Faculty Satisfaction in Judging Professionalism, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, ‘Fit’ and Virtual Interview Process

Discussion

This study is the first to determine the satisfaction and perception of Ohio FM PDs and faculty on virtual interviews. In terms of PD and faculty satisfaction in judging professionalism and fit, six respondents (40%) were “somewhat satisfied,” nine and (60%) were “somewhat satisfied” in judging an applicant’s interpersonal and communication. These results align with a study where PDs showed no significant differences in their ability to judge an applicant’s professionalism and interpersonal and communication skills.⁸

Table 1 shows that only 33.33% were “somewhat satisfied” with the virtual interview process which higlights the challenges of virtual interviews such as having an increased number of applications to review, technology-related issues and lack of personal touch. In addition, assessing fit emerged as a drawback. These echo the disadvantages listed by Huppert et al.¹³  

Relative to benefits of virtual interviews, common themes emerged: increased number of applications received, time and cost saving. Saving time and cost on the part of the program and the applicants was one of the biggest benefits identified by PDs and faculty. These benefits echo the advantages outlined by Huppert et al.¹³

Our study is limited by the small sample size; thus the results have limited generalizability. Given the most recent recommendations from associations of medical colleges.^14,15 regarding residency interviews, further investigation with a larger sample size would be helpful.

Conclusions

This study described the satisfaction and perception of Ohio FM PDs and faculty regarding virtual interviews during the 2021-2022 residency application cycle. Residency programs should be cognizant that virtual interviews may increase their total number of interviews, but can save on costs. In addition, while the assessment showed confidence in evaluating professionalism and interpersonal skills, there was concern regarding the ability to assess for fit. These findings are helpful for other FM residency programs to reimagine an effective virtual interview process that is impactful to the program and to the applicants.

Acknowledgment

The authors thank Bhakti Chavan, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Assistant Biostatistician for statistical support.

References

1. Coalition for Physician Accountability. Accessed May 24, 2022. https://physicianaccountability.org
2. Coalition for Physician Accountability’s Work Group on Medical Students in the Class of 2022 Moving Across Institutions for Interviews for Postgraduate Training. Recommendations on 2021-22 Residency Season Interviewing for Medical Education Institutions Considering Applicants from LCME-Accredited, US Osteopathic, and Non-U.S. Medical Schools. Accessed May 24, 2022. http://physicianaccountability.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Virtual-Rec_COVID-Only_Final.pdf
3. Family Medicine Groups Join Call for Another Virtual Match. American Academy of Family Physicians. July 9, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2022.  https://www.aafp.org/news/education-professional-development/20210709match2022.html
4. Ponterio JM, Levy L, Lakhi NA. Evaluation of the virtual interview format for resident recruitment as a result of COVID-19 restrictions: residency program directors’ perspectives. Acad Med. 2022;97(9):1360-1367. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000004730
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8. Sarac BA, Shen AH, Nassar AH, et al. Virtual interviews for the integrated plastic surgery residency match: the program director perspective. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2021;9(7):e3707. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000003707
9. Moran SK, Nguyen JK, Grimm LJ, Yee JM, Maxfield CM, Shah N, et al. Should radiology residency interviews remain virtual? Results of a multi-institutional survey inform the debate. Acad Radiol. 2021 Nov 18:S1076-6332(21)00491-8. doi:10.1016/j.acra.2021.10.017
10. Yee JM, Moran S, Chapman T. From beginning to end: A single radiology residency program’s experience with web-based resident recruitment during COVID-19 and a review of the literature. Acad Radiol. 2021;28(8):1159-1168. doi:10.1016/j.acra.2021.04.009
11. Convenience sampling method: How and when to use it? Qualtrics. Accessed June 3, 2022. https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-management/research/convenience-sampling/.
12. Ojano Sheehan O. Use regional education forums to engage community-based family medicine preceptors. Accessed April 30, 2022. https://www.stfm.org/publicationsresearch/publications/educationcolumns/2019/april/
13. Huppert LA, Hsiao EC, Cho KC, et al. Virtual interviews at graduate medical education training programs: determining evidence-based best practices. Acad Med. 2021;96(8):1137-1145. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000003868
14. AAMC Interview Guidance for the 2022-2023 Residency Cycle. Association of American Medical Colleges. Accessed May 16, 2022.  https://www.aamc.org/what-we-do/mission-areas/medical-education/aamc-interview-guidance-2022-2023-residency-cycle?adlt=strict
15. AACOM Strongly Recommends Hybrid Residency Interviews for 2022-23 Cycle. American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. May 13, 2022. Accessed May 13, 2022. https://www.aacom.org/news-and-events/news-detail/2022/05/13/aacom-strongly-recommends-hybrid-residency-interviews-for-2022-23-cycle?adlt=strict