{"id":2872,"date":"2020-05-27T14:30:46","date_gmt":"2020-05-27T18:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/?p=2872"},"modified":"2020-05-27T14:30:46","modified_gmt":"2020-05-27T18:30:46","slug":"virtual-residency-recruitment-in-the-time-of-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/index.php\/2020\/05\/virtual-residency-recruitment-in-the-time-of-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtual Residency Recruitment in the Time of COVID"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Dr.<\/a>

Dr. Bhardwaj is a Chief Resident at UMMS \u2013 Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA<\/p><\/div>\n

COVID-19 has undeniably altered life as we know it. As if getting into residency wasn\u2019t hard enough already, COVID has made it a notch harder. Graduate Medical Education across the nation is preferably adopting video interviews for a virtual residency recruitment. This noncontact change was further endorsed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

What are some of the implications of this? It is pertinent to look at this from two different perspectives \u2014 the applicants\u2019 and the programs\u2019.<\/p>\n

Financially \u2014 More Viable\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h2>\n

One of the greatest advantages of virtual recruitment is the time and money an applicant saves on travel and accommodation during interview season. On average, depending on number of interviews, applicants spend between $1000 and $5000. Not having this expense is a nice breather for medical students who already have heavy loans on their backs!<\/p>\n

It goes without saying that programs will be saving a ton of money as well. A large portion of money that is usually spent goes towards social events, including pre-interview dinners and lunches and breakfasts on interview days. This is especially important for programs that already had lower funding and budgets for recruitment. One hopes that residency programs will offer virtual pre-interview social interactions with residents.<\/p>\n

More Interviews?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There is a chance that programs might choose to interview more applicants, given that applicant behaviors will be more difficult to gauge, to maximize their chances of filling their slots. Virtual recruitment might also allow for multiple interviewers to be available, thus allowing programs to interview larger numbers of applicants. This could mean more interviews for each applicant.<\/p>\n

Culture of the program and the \u2018fit\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The flip side of a virtual recruitment, for both applicants and interviewers, is that it might be difficult to get the \u2018vibe\u2019 of the program and know if the fit is good. \u2018Fit\u2019 has anecdotally been rated consistently high among students who are choosing a residency program. Applicants might find it difficult to learn how happy the residents in the program are, unless the program offers virtual socializing opportunities.<\/p>\n

For applicants, it will be incredibly hard to show personality in just 20 to 30 minutes on video chat \u2014\u00a0opportunities to socialize will be much more limited. This means that you will have to shine during your interview \u2013 you better have your elevator pitch ready!<\/p>\n

Video Fatigue<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Having resorted to Zoom for virtual educational conferences this spring, I can say for certain that there is something exhausting about staying glued to a computer screen and remaining engaged. After about 40 minutes, I want to stretch. Worse still, I am looking down at my phone if the content is not stimulating and interactive enough.<\/p>\n

Video fatigue could be an even bigger problem for interviewers who are interviewing several applicants consecutively. To avoid it, one should ideally be taking breaks between each interview and should do no more than 2 hours of interviews consecutively.<\/p>\n

How do FMGs fit into the picture?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Personally, I believe that Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) are at a slight disadvantage, compared with their American counterparts, during virtual recruitment. A few things for FMGs to consider: Can you even travel to the U.S. right now? Some countries are restricting all travel. Is your home country in a time zone that would make interviewing difficult? (For example, a 11am interview with a U.S. East Coast program would be a 9:30pm interview for an applicant in India.) Programs and applicants will need to be mindful of time differences. How is the Internet connection in your country? Not every country has uninterrupted and great Internet to ensure smooth functioning of the interview itself. .<\/p>\n

Tips for Applicants During Virtual Recruitment <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Regardless of advantages or disadvantages, the mantra to a successful recruitment season during COVID is to embrace the unknown. Here are my top 5 tips to prepare for a virtual recruitment:<\/p>\n

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  1. \n

    The set-up<\/em><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Ensure you are in a well-lit room with a neutral background. Several video interfaces like Zoom allow you to choose a virtual background or even blur the background. It is also vital to choose a quiet space where you will not be disturbed. Try to avoid distractions. While some interviewers might be charmed by children crying in the background, not all will appreciate it.<\/p>\n

    Ensure you have good internet access and a reliable desktop or laptop, of course. Nothing is worse than choppy internet video. While programs might be understanding of technical difficulties, they are more likely to remember the encounter for the wrong reasons.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \n

      Dress the part<\/em><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      This is a virtual interview, so dress the part, just as you would for an in-person interview. A lot of people love to wear pajamas on the bottom and their formal attire on the top. We all know what happened to Will Reeve on Good Morning America<\/a>. Trust me, you do not want to be that person during your job interview. Make sure you are well-groomed.<\/p>\n

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      1. \n

        Body language is everything<\/em><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n