Virtual interviewing for graduate medical education recruitment and selection: A BEME systematic review: BEME Guide No. 80

Abstract

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic caused graduate medical education (GME) programs to pivot to virtual interviews (VIs) for recruitment and selection. This systematic review synthesizes the rapidly expanding evidence base on VIs, providing insights into preferred formats, strengths, and weaknesses.

Methods

PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, ERIC, PsycINFO, MedEdPublish, and Google Scholar were searched from 1 January 2012 to 21 February 2022. Two authors independently screened titles, abstracts, full texts, performed data extraction, and assessed risk of bias using the Medical Education Research Quality Instrument. Findings were reported according to Best Evidence in Medical Education guidance.

Results

One hundred ten studies were included. The majority (97%) were from North America. Fourteen were conducted before COVID-19 and 96 during the pandemic. Studies involved both medical students applying to residencies (61%) and residents applying to fellowships (39%). Surgical specialties were more represented than other specialties. Applicants preferred VI days that lasted 4–6 h, with three to five individual interviews (15–20 min each), with virtual tours and opportunities to connect with current faculty and trainees. Satisfaction with VIs was high, though both applicants and programs found VIs inferior to in-person interviews for assessing ‘fit.’ Confidence in ranking applicants and programs was decreased. Stakeholders universally noted significant cost and time savings with VIs, as well as equity gains and reduced carbon footprint due to eliminating travel.

Conclusions

The use of VIs for GME recruitment and selection has accelerated rapidly. The findings of this review offer early insights that can guide future practice, policy, and research.

Keywords:

• Best evidence medical education
• postgraduate
• medicine
• virtual interviews
• recruitment and selection
• COVID-19

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their appreciation to Touba Warsi for her assistance with developing the graphs and figures.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michelle Daniel

Michelle Daniel, MD, MHPE, is Chair of the BEME Review Committee, Associate Editor for Medical Teacher, and Vice Dean for Medical Education and Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Michael Gottlieb

Michael Gottlieb, MD, is the Director of the Emergency Ultrasound Division, Program Director for the Clinical Ultrasound Fellowship, and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.

Darcy Wooten

Darcy Wooten, MD, MS, is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health and the Program Director for the Infectious Disease Fellowship at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Jennifer Stojan

Jennifer Stojan, MD, MHPE, is a Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

Mary R. C. Haas

Mary R. C. Haas, MD, MHPE, is Assistant Residency Program Director and Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

Jacob Bailey

Jacob Bailey, MD, MA, is a Pulmonary Critical Care Fellow in the Department of Medicine and Assistant Director of the Program in Medical Education—Health Equity at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Sean Evans

Sean Evans, MD, is a Clinical Professor of Neurosciences and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Daniel Lee

Daniel Lee, MD, is Assistant Dean for Graduate Medical Education and a Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Charles Goldberg

Charles Goldberg, MD, is Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine and an Academic Hospitalist at the Veterans Association San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Jorge Fernandez

Jorge Fernandez, MD, is an Associate Clinical Professor and the Medical Student Program Director within the Department of Emergency Medicine and an Academic Community Director at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Simerjot K. Jassal

Simerjot K. Jassal, MD, MAS, is Clinical Professor of Medicine and Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Frances Rudolf

Frances Rudolf, MD, is Assistant Residency Program Director and Assistant Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Kama Guluma

Kama Guluma, MD, is a Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine and Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Lina Lander

Lina Lander, ScD, is an Associate Professor, Family Medicine and Public Health and Associate Dean, Education Technology, Innovation and Assessment at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Emily Pott

Emily Pott, MD, is Chief Resident in the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at the University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Nicole H. Goldhaber

Nicole H. Goldhaber, MD, MA, is a Surgery Resident and Perioperative Quality, Informatics and Education Research Fellow at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA.

Satid Thammasitboon

Satid Thammasitboon, MD, MHPE, is Director of the Center for Research, Innovation and Scholarship in Health Professions Education, Co-Director of the BEME International Collaborating Center, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Hussain Uraiby

Hussain Uraiby, MBChB, MMedEd, FHEA, is a Specialty Trainee in Histopathology and an Honorary Clinical Education Fellow at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.

Ciaran Grafton-Clarke

Ciaran Grafton-Clarke, MBChB, is a Clinical Education Fellow at University Hospitals of Leicester, UK, and Honorary Fellow at the University of Leicester, UK.

Morris Gordon

Morris Gordon, MBChB, PHD, MMed, is Chair of the BEME Executive, Coordinating Editor of the Cochrane Gut Group, Professor of Evidence Synthesis and Systematic Review, and a Consultant Pediatrician in the North West of the UK.

Teresa Pawlikowska

Teresa Pawlikowska, MB BS, PhD FRCPI, is Foundation Director of The Health Professions Education Centre (HPEC) which is also a BEME International Collaborating Center, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.

Janet Corral

Janet Corral, MD, is Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean of Medical Education at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV, USA.

Indu Partha

Indu Partha, MD, FACP, is Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine and Associate Program Director, Primary Care Track and Ambulatory Medicine at the at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA.

Karyn B. Kolman

Karyn B. Kolman, MD, is Associate Professor, Vice Chair for Education and Program Director in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA.

Jennifer Westrick

Jennifer Westrick, MSLIS AHIP, is a Library Research Information Specialist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL, USA.

Diana Dolmans

Diana Dolmans, PhD, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Development & Research, staff member of the School of Health Professions Education, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.