Virtual Interviews in the Era of COVID-19: A Primer for Applicants

Jones, Ruth Ellen; AbdelFattah, Kareem R.

doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.03.020

Cited by 130 publications

(137 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The use of remote teleconferencing for faculty, staff, and committee meetings, patientphysician visits, educational sessions, and even job interviews has risen sharply across multiple professions, including medicine. 4,[8][9][10][11][12] In fact, the ACGME has recommended that all medical student interviews for the 2020-2021 residency cycle be performed virtually. 13 Multiple institutions have already shown the feasibility of using telemedicine to implement and expand clinic visits in the short time that the pandemic has been crossing the US.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Initial Experience with a Virtual Platform for Advanced Gastrointestinal Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship Interviews

Majumder

Eckhouse

Brunt

et al. 2020

Journal of the American College of Surgeons

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BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions triggered a rapid alteration in the interview process for fellowships this spring. We describe our initial experience with virtual interviews for Advanced Gastrointestinal (GI) Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowships and assess the value and limitations via a post-interview applicant survey. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty candidates were interviewed via Zoom teleconferencing during March and April 2020 using combined group and breakout rooms. An anonymous post-interview Likert and free text survey was sent to candidates with questions regarding feasibility, appropriateness, and acceptability of this method. RESULTS: Seventeen of 20 candidates (85%) responded to the survey. The candidates rated ease of interaction with the program director, faculty surgeons, and the current fellow highly: 94%, 83%, and 89%, respectively. The majority (53%) stated the virtual interviews exceeded or met expectations. Only a minority, 12%, reported the virtual platform was short of expectations. Approximately 70% noted little to no impact of not being able to conduct these interviews in-person and not being able to physically see the program institution. Overall, 94% were satisfied with their experience, and only 6% were neutral, with no respondents reporting dissatisfaction. Finally, 76% would recommend a virtual interview in the future. Most negative open response comments were secondary to issues with software rather than the lack of the in-person traditional interviews. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a remote teleconferencing platform provides a favorable method for conducting fellowship interviews and results in a high degree of candidate satisfaction. Virtual interviews will likely be increasingly substituted for in-person interviews across the spectrum of medical training.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In parallel, technological hurdles with each software platform, along with connectivity issues that arise with any web-based interface, can further degrade the process, experience, and impressions on both sides. 4 Despite the potential downsides, use of this technology for the interview process, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has become widespread.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Initial Experience with a Virtual Platform for Advanced Gastrointestinal Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship Interviews

Majumder

Eckhouse

Brunt

et al. 2020

Journal of the American College of Surgeons

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“…Fellowship candidates and faculty members should prepare for virtual interviews as they would for live interviews to maximize the use of time. 28,29 Fellowship programs should help accommodate applicants whose home environments may not be appropriate for professional interviews or who may need modifications of their interview days due to clinical responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery. 30 Ongoing applicant and program surveys are needed to learn more about the cost benefits and disadvantages of the widespread use of virtual interviews.…”

Section: Opportunities To Improve the Cost Effectiveness Of Virtual Rmentioning

confidence: 99%

How Has COVID-19 Affected the Costs of the Surgical Fellowship Interview Process?

Tseng

2020

Journal of Surgical Education

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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on the costs of the surgical fellowship interview process. DESIGN: A literature review of the historical costs of surgical fellowship interviews and a summary of how the shift to virtual interviews has unintended positive and negative effects on costs for applicants and training programs. RESULTS: Transitioning fellowship interviews to virtual platforms affects expenditures of finances and time. Each fellowship candidate saves close to $6,000 in interview travel expenses. Applicants require less time off from their residency programs during this critical time of need for frontline healthcare workers. However, applicants miss some of the live aspects of interviewing, and training programs invest more effort upfront altering their interviews to virtual formats. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 public health crisis has had a significant impact on surgical education, including how selection is conducted. Virtual recruitment has the potential for cost savings but should continue to be refined. This is an opportune time to innovate and rethink how to recruit prospective surgical residency and fellowship candidates during the current and forthcoming interview seasons.

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“…This change places an additional burden on prospective residents, as virtual interviews require applicants to set up their own interview rooms. Unfortunately, current literature lacks concrete recommendations with visual examples for interviewees [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual Residency Interviews: Optimization for Applicants

Sarac

Calamari

Janis

2020

Cureus

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Social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have created substantial changes in undergraduate medical education in the United States. Specifically, the Coalition for Physician Accountability recommended that all programs transition to online interviews and visits for the 2020-21 application cycle. Current literature lacks concrete recommendations with visual examples for how interviewees should best prepare their interview rooms. The authors present cost-conscious recommendations addressing three main areas: the interview room background/environment, audiovisual quality, and virtual interview etiquette, while providing two before and after intervention photographs. Through optimization of these three domains, applicants can present the best versions of themselves during virtual residency interviews.

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Virtual Interviews in the Era of COVID-19: A Primer for Applicants

Cited by 130 publications

References 2 publications

Initial Experience with a Virtual Platform for Advanced Gastrointestinal Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship Interviews

Initial Experience with a Virtual Platform for Advanced Gastrointestinal Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship Interviews

How Has COVID-19 Affected the Costs of the Surgical Fellowship Interview Process?

Virtual Residency Interviews: Optimization for Applicants

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