Designing successful virtual residency interviews: a survey-based needs assessment of applicants across medical specialties.

Background: Residency selection in the United States relied on in-person interviews for many decades. The COVID-19 pandemic and recommendations from the Coalition for Physician Accountability (COPA) required programs to implement virtual interviews for the 2020-2021 residency selection cycle. Although virtual interviews may become the norm in the future, there is scant data at the institutional level to inform how to best approach this process. Objective: To describe the perceptions of applicants to several residency programs at one institution on the importance of virtual recruitment features and assess the impact on their overall ranking decisions. Methods: Applicants who interviewed for 12 medical and surgical residency programs during the 2020-2021 cycle at the University of California San Francisco were invited to participate in an anonymous survey in March 2021, after all interviews were completed. A survey consisting of 26 questions was administered to applicants on features that are important during interviews and the impact on their ranking decisions scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: Of the 1422 participating applicants, 303 (21%) completed the survey. The most important feature for applicants during the interview day was getting a feel of the program (92%). Conversations with residents (91%) and faculty (79%) were also highly rated. Respondents reported morale and happiness of residents (71%) as an extremely important factor in their overall ranking decision. Conclusion: Programs should consider prioritizing features that aid in alignment with getting to know residents and faculty and provide a sense of morale over emphasis on the institutional and location features. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s44186-022-00004-5.

Workplace learning through peer groups in medical school clerkships.

PURPOSE: When medical students move from the classroom into clinical practice environments, their roles and learning challenges shift dramatically from a formal curricular approach to a workplace learning model. Continuity among peers during clinical clerkships may play an important role in this different mode of learning. We explored students' perceptions about how they achieved workplace learning in the context of intentionally formed or ad hoc peer groups. METHOD: We invited students in clerkship program models with continuity (CMCs) and in traditional block clerkships (BCs) to complete a survey about peer relationships with open-ended questions based on a workplace learning framework, including themes of workplace-based relationships, the nature of work practices, and selection of tasks and activities. We conducted qualitative content analysis to characterize students' experiences. RESULTS: In both BCs and CMCs, peer groups provided rich resources, including anticipatory guidance about clinical expectations of students, best practices in interacting with patients and supervisors, helpful advice in transitioning between rotations, and information about implicit rules of clerkships. Students also used each other as benchmarks for gauging strengths and deficits in their own knowledge and skills. CONCLUSIONS: Students achieve many aspects of workplace learning in clerkships through formal or informal workplace-based peer groups. In these groups, peers provide accessible, real-time, and relevant resources to help each other navigate transitions, clarify roles and tasks, manage interpersonal challenges, and decrease isolation. Medical schools can support effective workplace learning for medical students by incorporating continuity with peers in the main clinical clerkship year.

Teaching Residents to Teach: The Impact of a Multi-Disciplinary Longitudinal Curriculum to Improve Teaching Skills.

BACKGROUND: Residents have primary responsibility for teaching medical students, yet many receive no formal teaching instruction. This study evaluated the impact of a longitudinal multidisciplinary teaching curriculum on resident participants' self-perceived teaching skills. METHODS: Residents received instruction on teaching and leadership skills during a four-month longitudinal teaching course. Participants completed a validated pre-post self-assessment inventory for teaching and a teaching self-efficacy survey. RESULTS: Participants' self-rated teaching skills significantly increased in all categories of the self-assessment inventory for teaching. Self-efficacy survey results revealed statistically significant increased participant confidence in all teaching skills. Residents were very satisfied with course content. CONCLUSION: Residents are eager to improve their teaching skills and benefit from a multidisciplinary learning group. A successful teaching curriculum increases resident interest in teaching and impacts self-efficacy and self-assessed teaching skills.