Article Figures & Data
- Table 1
Fellowship applicant demographics and interview format (n=137)
Variable 2020 application year, n=91 2019 application year, n=46 P value Male n (%) 56 (62%) 30 (65%) Median age (25th, 75th IQR), years 33 (31, 35) 34 (33, 36) 0.011 Median number of programs applied to (25th, 75th IQR) 25 (18, 40) 18 (8, 25) 0.003 Median number of interviews offered (25th, 75th IQR) 15 (18, 40) 12 (8, 25) 0.135 Median number interviews attended (25th, 75th IQR) 13 (8, 16) 11 (5, 15) 0.006 Type of interview offered In-person only
2 43 <0.0001 Virtual only
86 2 <0.0001 Hybrid
3 1 0.70 Interview agenda (virtual only) (n, %) Group interview with PD
41 (45) 1 (2) <0.0001 Group interview and separate interview with PD
46 (51) 0 Individual interviews
85 (93) 1 (2) <0.0001 PD, program director.
- Table 2
Fellowship applicant responses (n=137)
Question 1 (strongly agree) (%) 2 (%) 3 (%) 4 (%) 5 (strongly disagree) (%) Median (25th, 75th IQR) In-person interview (n=46) The cost of travel for interviews limited the number of interviews I accepted 17.02 14.89 21.28 25.53 21.28 3 (2, 4) The difficulties of scheduling time away from residency responsibilities limited the number of interviews that I accepted 23.91 21.74 8.70 19.57 26.09 3 (2, 4.75) An in-person interview helped me to get a much better sense of the program than I would have otherwise 53.19 27.66 12.77 4.26 2.13 1 (1, 2) Visiting the program was critical to seeing the hospital and educational environment 43.48 30.43 15.22 8.70 2.17 2 (1, 2.75) As a result of the in-person interview, I ranked this program more highly than I would have without a visit 44.68 23.40 21.28 8.51 2.13 2 (1, 3) Virtual interview (n=91) I applied to more SCC fellowship programs than I would have if all interviews were in-person 25.00 14.13 16.30 15.22 29.35 3 (1.75, 5) I accepted more SCC fellowship interview offers than I would have if all interviews were in-person 41.30 14.13 13.04 8.70 22.83 2 (1, 4) I was able to get a good feel for the program via the virtual interview process and any other research I did for each program 5.43 20.65 34.78 35.87 3.26 3 (2, 4) An in-person interview would have allowed me to gain a better understanding of the educational environment and offering of each program 21.74 43.48 18.48 13.04 3.26 2 (2, 3) An in-person interview would have allowed me to gain a better understanding of the comradery and culture of each program 44.57 34.78 7.61 7.61 5.43 2 (1, 2) I liked the virtual interview process overall 18.48 32.61 33.70 11.96 3.26 2 (2, 3) As compared with the previous in-person interviews I have had (eg, residency), I would prefer having a virtual interview in the future rather than an in-person interview 14.29 21.98 24.18 23.08 16.48 3 (2, 4) SCC, surgical critical care.
- Table 3
Surgical critical care program director responses (n=81)
1 (strongly agree) (%) 2 (%) 3 (%) 4 (%) 5 (strongly disagree) (%) Median (25th, 75th IQR) Technology limitations and glitches made the interview process challenging 2.50 15.00 21.25 46.25 15.00 4 (3, 4) Our program received more applications in 2020 as compared with 2019 57.50 22.50 12.50 6.25 1.25 1 (1, 2) Our program interviewed more applicants in 2020 as compared with 2019 50.00 18.75 18.75 10.00 2.50 1.5 (1, 3) As compared with virtual interviews, in-person interviews offer an advantage to the candidate to present themselves and develop rapport with the interviewer 26.25 36.25 28.75 6.25 2.50 2 (1, 3) As compared with virtual interviews, in-person interviews offer an advantage to the program to present the learning environment 38.27 32.10 14.81 9.88 4.94 2 (1, 3) We were able to provide a good representation of our fellowship program in a virtual format 14.81 37.04 33.33 13.58 1.23 2 (2, 3) We were able to adequately interact and assess the candidates in a virtual format 9.88 46.91 27.16 16.05 0.00 2 (2, 3) I liked the virtual interview process 20.99 45.68 16.05 14.81 2.47 2 (2, 3) Virtual (%) In-person (%) Hybrid (%) When the COVID-19 pandemic goes away, I recommend that interviews be: 8.64 16.05 75.31
Supplementary Materials
Supplementary data
Additional Files
Supplementary Data
This web only file has been produced by the BMJ Publishing Group from an electronic file supplied by the author(s) and has not been edited for content.
Survey of surgical critical care applicant and program director views on virtual interviews for fellowship training: a Surgical Critical Care Program Directors Society sponsored study
Respond to this article