Virtual Interviews: The Format of the Future

INTRODUCTION: Residency interviews have transitioned from an in-person to a virtual format during the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual interviews have helped applicants reduce spending costs, time, and greenhouse gas emissions related to travel. This study aims to assess the preferences of obstetrics and gynecology applicants in continuing a virtual format for residency interviews. METHODS: The Texas STAR database was queried for obstetrics and gynecology applicants who responded to “I would be in favor of continuing virtual interviews going forward” on a 5-item Likert scale from 2021 to 2023. Descriptive statistics (chi-square and ANOVA) were used to evaluate trends in responses over time and associations with applicant characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 1,348 obstetrics and gynecology applicants responded to the survey, among whom 924 (68.5%) agreed or strongly agreed that they would favor continuation of virtual interviews. The percentage of applicants who favored virtual interviews significantly increased each year (55.1% in 2021, 68.7% in 2022, and 81.1% in 2023; P<.001). Applicants who reported higher total spending on the residency application process were more likely to favor virtual interviews (mean [SD]: $2,637 [2,243] versus $2,240 [1,550]; P=.001). There were no significant differences in sex, race, or geographic region in applicants who favored virtual interviews compared to those who did not favor or were undecided. CONCLUSION: The majority of obstetrics and gynecology applicants favor continuation of virtual interviews, and this trend has been increasing each year. There do not appear to be any sociodemographic differences between applicants who do and do not favor virtual interviews.