Residency match interview scheduling: quantifying the applicant experience

Impact of the Standardized Interview Offer Date Initiatives: A Survey of Otolaryngology Applicants and Programs

OBJECTIVE

To investigate residency applicant and program compliance with and attitudes toward a newly implemented standardized interview offer date program.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

US Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery training programs.

METHODS

An electronic survey was distributed to applicants during match week in March 2022, and to program directors and program managers shortly after. The surveys included questions assessing program compliance with the standardized interview offer date as well as both applicant and program attitudes toward this newly implemented initiative.

RESULTS

This study achieved a 47% (263/559) response rate from applicants and 57% (68/120) from programs. Both applicants and program directors reported high program compliance with this initiative. Ninety-six percent of program directors reported complying with releasing interview offers on 1 standardized day. Applicants endorsed a reduction in their anxiety surrounding the residency application process as well as an increased ability to engage in the fourth year of medical school as benefits of the initiative. Providing clarity surrounding the applicant's final application status and further standardization of the interview scheduling process were identified as areas for improvement.

CONCLUSION

Standardization of residency interview offer and acceptance practices is both feasible and impactful. Providing applicants with a final applicant status and further efforts to improve the interview scheduling process may continue to bolster this initiative in future years.

Designing the "match of the future": challenges and proposed solutions in the interview and match phase of the UME-GME transition

This review focuses on the interview and match process with the purpose of broadly reviewing challenges in the current surgical residency selection process, detailing potential solutions, and identifying future avenues of investigation.