A group of radiology residents who participated in last year’s inaugural virtual interview season believe face-to-face meetings may soon become a thing of the past.
In May 2020, the National Residency Matching Program and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education announced the 2020-2021 residency interview season would move entirely online, hoping to mitigate COVID-19 risks. At least one group of rads warned the new approach would likely disrupt match season.
Now, nearly one year later, residents who took part in that unique experience examined its benefits and pitfalls, sharing their thoughts Thursday in Academic Radiology.
“With reflection and a bit of work, virtual interviewing has potential to become the new normal in GME recruitment, improving access and opportunity for all residency applicants,” Nicholas M. Heitkamp, MD, MSc, with Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia, and colleagues wrote.
Casting a wider net
One of the top benefits to eliminating face-to-face interviews proved to be cost savings, the authors noted.
More than 44% of U.S. med students reported a family income of less than $91,705 in 2005. Cutting travel-associated costs afforded students a more equitable process for choosing radiology programs, Heitkamp et al. wrote.
On a related note, more programs held events specifically for racial and ethnic populations underrepresented in medicine. Heitkamp and co-authors found the experiences offered “invaluable” info, and some made rank list decisions based on these experiences.
Interviewing at home also eased anxieties for some. And the switch “substantially” improved equity for applicants with disabilities or those in caregiver roles, the authors noted.
Inevitable drawbacks
Applicants are applying to more programs to improve their chances of gaining an interview, and many GME leaders said they received extra inquiries.
“The virtual season magnified the over-application phenomenon leading to further inequities for international medical graduate colleagues,” Heitkamp et al. wrote.
Similarly, the new process exacerbated ongoing problems with interview hoarding. The most competitive rad applicants held a disproportionate number of interview spots, meaning many qualified individuals weren’t able to schedule enough meetings.
The Coalition for Physician Accountability, which includes ACGME and others, recently recommended virtual interviews during the upcoming 2021-2022 recruitment cycle, citing the Delta variant among additional concerns.
Heitkamp and co-authors believe their findings can inform the upcoming season.
“Early recognition and discussion of these issues will provide opportunity for improvement,” the group wrote. “Residency stakeholders will have the opportunity to improve their virtual practices by intentionally working to enhance applicant equity.”
Read much more from the authors in the full perspective here.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.