Objective:

To analyze the experience of neurology residency applicants with virtual interviews.

Background:

Travel restrictions during COVID-19 pandemic disrupted medical education and residency recruitment. National organizations, including ACGME and AAN, recommended virtual interviews for adult and pediatric residency programs. This study provides insights from single-center survey of applicants’ experience of virtual interview process over three years.

Design/Methods:

An online anonymous survey was sent to 300 applicants who interviewed at our adult neurology residency program during the 2020-2021(Year 1), 2021-2022 (Year 2), and 2023-2024 (Year 3) cycles. The survey was emailed after ROL submission, and responses were collected over 60 days.

Results:

A total of 110 applicants responded across three cycles. Majority were non-US IMGs (59% Year 1, 61.3% Year 2, 47% Year 3). Most applicants applied to >60 programs, with 77% doing so in Year 2. Approximately half of the applicants accepted 10-20 interviews each year, though acceptance of <10 interviews showed an increasing trend. Program websites were the most valuable resource (72-76%), followed by program-operated webinars, open houses, and social media. Over 80% of applicants reported no time zone issues, and Zoom™ was the preferred platform. Connectivity issues decreased over subsequent years. Preference for virtual interviews increased from 29% in Year 1 to 41% in Year 3, though one-third still preferred in-person interviews. Key factors influencing the rank list were interactions with the Program Director (65-80% of the applicants) and Program Coordinator, as well as program reputation and faculty interviews.

Conclusions:

This study gives valuable insights into the applicants’ experience and perception of the virtual interview process. While it does increase equity and access, it also leads to an increased trend of applying to more than the usual programs. Interactions with Program Director and Coordinators are instrumental in influencing ranking decisions of the applicants. More studies can help guide future direction of this process.