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

Abstract

COVID-19 disrupted the practice of in-person visits for the 2020-2021 recruitment cycle. This past year, Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs converted to online interviews and virtual visits for all applicants. Given the unpredictable nature of this pandemic, it remains unclear when or if conventional travel for residency interviews will resume. Therefore, it is important to reflect on this past season and look ahead to our next recruitment and interview cycle. Here, we review prior publications studying faculty and applicant experiences with web-based interviewing strategies, and we describe our own residency program's recruitment strategy for a virtual interview season, including survey results of reactions by both interviewers and candidates following our first season in this new era of virtual meetings and interviews. Web-based recruitment and interviews are feasible and can be done well with careful planning and preparation of those involved. Concerns persist primarily among applicants that virtual visits to a training program are inadequate for providing sufficient information prior to ranking. Regardless of future travel restrictions, GME programs will likely benefit all stakeholders by offering web-based recruitment and interviews, while also providing opportunities for optional in-person visits.

Impact of COVID-19 on Radiology Residency Selection Process: A Survey of Radiology Residency Programs in the US

“…Advantages to virtual interviewing includes reduced cost and travel time for applicants, increased flexibility of interview scheduling, and an increased number of interview days offered by residency programs. [6] However, several obstacles accounted for a varying quality of participants’ experiences during the virtual interview process. These include applicants’ reduced capacity to learn about the program virtually, PDs’ difficulty in highlighting their program's physical facilities, and any technical difficulties with video-conferencing platforms.…”

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Radiology Resident Education: Where Do We Go From Here?

“… 44 Medical students were also not as restricted in the programs to which they wished to apply since virtual interviews are far less costly than in-person interviews given that applicants no longer had to pay for travel and accommodation. 45 …”

“… 44 One institution's reflection at their virtual interviews showed that the majority of applicants and interviewers were satisfied with the online platform. 45 However, applicants tended to agree that the virtual setting limited their ability to assess a program's environment. 45 Social events helped applicants meet residents and get a sense for the program's culture and this was emulated through alternatives such as “virtual happy hours” where breakout rooms could be used to speak in smaller groups.…”

“… 45 However, applicants tended to agree that the virtual setting limited their ability to assess a program's environment. 45 Social events helped applicants meet residents and get a sense for the program's culture and this was emulated through alternatives such as “virtual happy hours” where breakout rooms could be used to speak in smaller groups. 44 Many of the changes required to develop and implement a permanent online system for radiology residency applications will likely require substantial investment and may only be possible for larger programs.…”

Impact of COVID-19 on radiology education in Europe: a survey by the ESR Radiology Trainees Forum (RTF)

“…Radiology education at the resident level has been significantly affected by changes in health service administration during the pandemic. Reports from the United States of America highlight difficulties in resident recruitment [ 8 ], interaction with patients and a multitude of training aspects, including reduced supervision, limited research possibilities and almost eliminated didactic learning [ 4 ].…”