Virtual Interviews for Sports Medicine Fellowship Positions Save Time and Money but Don’t Replace In-Person Meetings

Abstract

Purpose: To understand the perceptions of program directors (PDs) and fellowship applicants regarding the virtual interview process for orthopaedic surgery sports medicine fellowship programs. Methods: An anonymous online survey was distributed through the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) to applicants and PDs of orthopaedic surgery sports medicine fellowship programs following the 2020-2021 fellowship application cycle. Results: A total of 40 responses were received from PDs for a response rate of 47% (40 of 85) and 72 responses were received from applicants for a response rate of 27% (72 of 271). All of the surveyed PDs (40/40, 100%) agreed/strongly agreed that the applicant's interview carries significant weight in determining where an applicant is ranked on the match list. Fifty-eight percent (23 of 40) of PDs agreed/strongly agreed that virtual interviews negatively affected their personal connection with the fellowship interviewee. The presence of virtual interviews allowed 80% (57 of 71) of applicants to go on more interviews. Seventy-three percent (51 of 70) of applicants were able to save greater than $5,000 on travel expenses and 63% (25 of 40) of fellowship programs were able to save greater than $2,500 by conducting virtual interviews. Conclusions: Virtual interviews allowed fellowship programs and applicants to complete more interviews, but both PDs and applicants stated that interviewing in-person was important for applicants to meet faculty and tour the institution where they may be spending a year. In contrast, significant financial savings resulted due to the transition to virtual interviews. Finally, both PDs and applicants were in favor of having the option of interviewing virtually, suggesting that virtual interviews may continue to play a role in future application cycles. Clinical Relevance: This study may be valuable to fellowship programs that will continue to implement virtual interviews into future application cycles.

Expectations versus reality: Understanding the accuracy of impressions made during virtual interviews of pediatric pulmonary fellowship programs

“…Next, we evaluated if virtual‐interview derived‐impressions were accurate. This is especially important because one of the major concerns amongst applicants is that virtual interviews do not allow them to “get a feel” for a program 15,18,20,23,24 . The data from our study suggests that this concern is largely unsubstantiated for pediatric pulmonary training programs.…”

“…Almost the same percentage of adult pulmonary and critical care fellows preferred a tiered interview format as well 20 . We did not collect discrete data as to why applicants wanted an in‐person option despite obtaining accurate impressions during virtual interviews; however, several applicants provided free‐text responses in‐line with other literature, stating that they longed for in‐person exposure to the facilities, faculty, and locations to get the best “feel” for the training program to make the most informed decision 15,18,20,23,24 …”

“…A tiered interview is an attractive option for future interview cycles. The first‐round virtual interview in the tiered format would preserve the applicant advantages of virtual interviewing, such as decreased travel costs, increased flexibility of interviewing, and opportunities to interview more broadly 1,5,14–18 . It also would allow fellowship programs to advertise more broadly and decrease costs and coordination required for in‐person interviewing (i.e.…”

“…Even with these resources, the future of virtual interviews is not clear. Applicants were generally satisfied with virtual interviews, citing cost savings, ability to apply more broadly geographically, decreased stress in finding work coverage, and decreased travel time as reasons they liked the virtual format 1,5,14–18 . Program Directors were also satisfied, identifying match results, time spent with applicants, and convenience as reasons they liked virtual interviews 19 .…”

“…The p values generated did not achieve statistical significance. [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com] applicants provided free-text responses in-line with other literature, stating that they longed for in-person exposure to the facilities, faculty, and locations to get the best "feel" for the training program to make the most informed decision 15,18,20,23,24. A tiered interview is an attractive option for future interview cycles.…”