The Influence of the Residency Interview Format on Future Interviewing Models and Use of Preference Signals.

Abstract

Background and objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically altered the format of residency recruitment, leading to the widespread adoption of virtual interviews, followed by the adoption of preference signaling. This study examines how the structure of the 2023-2024 interview season influenced family medicine residency program directors' intentions for future interview formats and their preferences regarding the number of preference signals.

Methods: A Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance survey, including demographic questions, was distributed to all family medicine residency program directors in the United States in spring 2024. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, χ2 tests, and multivariable logistic regression.

Results: The overall response rate to the question set was 43.7% (308/705). The majority of programs used a fully virtual interview structure in 2023-2024; programs with 100% virtual interviewing were significantly more likely to plan to maintain this model for future interviewing (P=.000) and to favor the current allotment of five preference signals (P=.005). Program director gender, ethnicity, or program type did not significantly influence the intention to maintain a virtual interview format.

Conclusions: The structure of the 2023-2024 interview season was significantly consistent with program directors' plans for future recruitment practices.