Mitigating Bias in the Era of Virtual Residency and Fellowship Interviews

Fuchs, Jeffrey W.; Youmans, Quentin R.

doi:10.4300/jgme-d-20-00443.1

Cited by 28 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Fit is an essential factor in the residency selection process, according to program directors and applicants alike. 1,18,19 For the VC candidates, we asked the interviewers to focus on interview questions selected (see Online Supplemental Material) to evaluate fit for the program, in the absence of informal interactions that would otherwise facilitate this interpersonal analysis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rank and Match Outcomes of In-person and Virtual Anesthesiology Residency Interviews

2021

JEPM

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Background: For the 2019-2020 interview season, the anesthesia residency program at Augusta University offered candidates a choice between in-person (IP) and video conference (VC) interviews to accommodate a greater number of qualified candidates. Methods:The same applicant selection criteria were used for both interview types. However, we modified the informal interactions with residents, campus tours, and interview formats for VC interviews. We sought to compare the 2 methods by analyzing the respective costs, benefits, and match results.Results: Of 159 candidates interviewed, we ranked 127 and matched with 12. The IP (n = 135) and VC (n = 24) groups were similar in gender distribution but not by the type of medical school, with more international medical graduates interviewing by VC than IP. There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 interview types for being ranked (81% of IP, 71% of VC) or matched (6% of IP, 17% of VC). US Medical Licensing ExaminationStep 1 and Step 2 scores and type of medical school did not affect the likelihood of being ranked or matched. Program costs per candidate were higher for the IP group ($431 for IP, $294 for VC). Conclusion:Our single-center study indicates that the interview type did not affect the likelihood of a candidate being ranked by or matched to our program. Further, VC interviews were more cost-effective and time-effective than IP interviews. Our findings suggest that VC interviews are a viable alternative and should be an option for residency interviews.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rank and Match Outcomes of In-person and Virtual Anesthesiology Residency Interviews

2021

JEPM

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“…Specific sources of bias may include technology challenges and visual cues of the applicants' personal living situation. 21 , 22 Despite these hypotheses, the actual impact of virtual interviews on diversity has not been studied.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Money Matters: Anticipated Expense of In-Person Obstetrics and Gynecology Fellowship Interviews Has Greater Impact for Underrepresented in Medicine and Women Applicants

Heisler

Botros-Brey²,

Wang³

et al. 2022

Women's Health Reports

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Background: Much of the expense of pursuing subspecialty training in obstetrics and gynecology (ObGyn) is due to in-person fellowship interviews. Although interviews were converted to a virtual platform for the 2020 fellowship interview season in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, candidates anticipated in-person interview expenses at the time of their application. It is unknown whether financial considerations influenced candidates' decision to pursue fellowship training. This study aimed to evaluate the financial impact of anticipated in-person fellowship interviews among applicants of ObGyn subspecialties. Materials and Methods: This was a planned secondary analysis of a survey administered during the 2020 interview season to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual ObGyn fellowship subspecialty interviews in creating a rank list. Information was obtained about anticipated and actual interview costs, the need for securing additional funding and whether financial considerations influenced the decision to apply for fellowship. Results: In total, 158 participants enrolled in the 2020 National Resident Matching Program for ObGyn fellowship programs (48%) completed the web-based survey. Women and Black fellowship applicants were more likely than men ( p = 0.044) and White applicants ( p = 0.014) to endorse a need to secure additional funding for in-person fellowship interviews. In addition, Hispanic and Black applicants were more likely than White applicants to report that the financial impact of fellowship interviews influenced the decision to apply “somewhat” or “to a great extent” ( p = 0.025 and p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: The costs of applying to ObGyn fellowship programs may disproportionately affect women and underrepresented in medicine applicants. By reducing a financial barrier, virtual interviews may help promote greater gender and racial and ethnic diversity in ObGyn subspecialty pursuit.

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“…Using virtual interviews is one strategy to eliminate most personal interview travel and accommodations costs, and thus financial burdens, as well as reduce potential bias related to geographic location of candidates. 27,28 Some studies show that the majority of applicants and program directors perceive that virtual interviews improve applicant equity. 20 While some studies demonstrate that virtual interviews can introduce more bias for underrepresented groups in medicine, and may make gauging program inclusivity difficult for applicants, 28,29 the impact of the transition to virtual interviews on diversity, equity, and inclusivity is not yet established.…”

Section: Equitable Access and Inclusivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…27,28 Some studies show that the majority of applicants and program directors perceive that virtual interviews improve applicant equity. 20 While some studies demonstrate that virtual interviews can introduce more bias for underrepresented groups in medicine, and may make gauging program inclusivity difficult for applicants, 28,29 the impact of the transition to virtual interviews on diversity, equity, and inclusivity is not yet established. Multiple strategies have been proposed to mitigate bias in the virtual interview experience (BOX).…”

Section: Equitable Access and Inclusivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual Interviews in Postgraduate Medical Education Recruitment: Is There a Future Post-Pandemic?

Rajendran

Nadler

2022

Journal of Graduate Medical Education

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Mitigating Bias in the Era of Virtual Residency and Fellowship Interviews

Cited by 28 publications

References 15 publications

Rank and Match Outcomes of In-person and Virtual Anesthesiology Residency Interviews

Rank and Match Outcomes of In-person and Virtual Anesthesiology Residency Interviews

Money Matters: Anticipated Expense of In-Person Obstetrics and Gynecology Fellowship Interviews Has Greater Impact for Underrepresented in Medicine and Women Applicants

Virtual Interviews in Postgraduate Medical Education Recruitment: Is There a Future Post-Pandemic?

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