Benefits and Limitations of Virtual Recruitment: Perspectives From Subspeciality Directors

Understanding General Surgery Recruitment and Attrition During the COVID-Era: A 1-Year Follow-Up Study

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in modifications to resident selection. The success of these new recruitment strategies as well as the impact on trainee attrition and competency is unknown. We previously evaluated how selection of general surgery applicants changed early in the pandemic. Here we supplement that work by reporting further modifications to the recruitment process and the perceived impact on resident attrition and competency.

METHODS

An anonymous cross-sectional survey sent via the Association of Program Directors in Surgery listserv in June 2022 to programs directors (PDs) at Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited general surgery programs. Surveys contained demographic questions, 5-point Likert scale questions evaluating factors related to recruitment and match process, and postgraduate year 1 performance.

RESULTS

60 PDs responded to the survey. PDs continue to value the same post-COVID factors related to determining a resident's commitment to surgery but began to shift back to nonvirtual based strategies to recruit applicants in this new interview cycle. PD commentary frequently noted desire to return to in-person interviewing. 5.4% of postgraduate year 1s comprising this first class of residents who underwent virtual-only interviews and rotations did not reach Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education level 1 milestones, similar to prior years. The attrition rate amongst this class increased from 1.3% to 2.7%.

CONCLUSIONS

The attrition rate for postgraduate year 1 categorical general surgery residents has increased since the onset of the pandemic. The recruitment strategies adopted early in the pandemic have not maintained their initial perceived impact.

Virtual Interviewing and Diversity Among Psychiatry Residents

OBJECTIVE

Psychiatry residency program directors were surveyed regarding their impression of the impact virtual interviewing had on the perceived and actual diversity of individuals selected for interviews and residency training.

METHODS

A link to an anonymous survey was sent to 299 psychiatry residencies. Psychiatry program directors provided information about their programs and rated their perception of the impact of virtual interviewing on candidates they interviewed and matched. They also reported the demographic information of incoming residency classes for 2020-2023. This data was assessed for differences in the average number of residents by each diversity category and interview format (i.e., in person or virtual) and between diversity categories and cohorts. A linear trend analysis assessed whether the number of residents in each demographic category had a significant change over time.

RESULTS

Sixty-five program directors (21.7%) provided at least partial data. Half of the responding program directors believed that virtual interviewing had increased the diversity of interviewed applicants, but there were no statistically significant differences in the average number of incoming residents who were identified as women or were in an Underrepresented in Medicine category when comparing the in-person interview year (2020) and the virtual interview years (2021-2023).

CONCLUSIONS

The analyzed data demonstrated that the type of interview (in-person vs virtual) did not appear to affect the diversity of incoming psychiatry residents. Ongoing efforts to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging should be paired with measurements of their impact.

Applicant-Fellow Virtual Sessions in Recruitment for Gastroenterology Fellowship

BACKGROUND

Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, virtual interviews have become a norm for gastroenterology (GI) fellowship recruitment. Most interviews hold a session for applicant and current fellow interaction. There is wide variability of the sessions across programs. There are a paucity of data on the influence of these sessions on applicants' ranking of programs.

AIMS

We aim to describe applicants' experiences and perceptions of virtual happy hours (i.e., applicant-fellow sessions) during the GI fellowship application process.

METHODS

We surveyed applicants participating in the 2022 GI fellowship match cycle to understand their experience with virtual fellow-only happy hours. Mixed methods analyses were performed.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 68 (13.91%) applicants, of which, 75% reported that at least half of the interviews they attended had conducted a virtual, fellow-only happy hour. Most respondents preferred that the virtual happy hours should be conducted prior to the interview day (58%) and that breakout rooms with a smaller ratio of applicants to fellows are helpful (78%). The majority (87%) of respondents reported attending these sessions at least 75% of the time. Nearly half (44%) of respondents reported that these sessions influenced/altered their ranking decisions with respect to programs.

CONCLUSION

Given the advantages associated with virtual interviews and their ongoing support by professional societies, the virtual platform is likely here to stay in future. Virtual fellow-only happy hours help provide a representation of the program's mission and when successfully implemented, can be leveraged to optimize recruitment and attract qualified, diverse candidates.