Is the changing landscape of fellowship recruitment during COVID-19 here to stay?

Shreya Gupta; L. Grier Arthur; Nicole Chandler; Paul Danielson; Cynthia Downard; Peter Ehrlich; Barbara Gaines; Brian Gray; Patrick Javid; Michel Lallier; Benedict Nwomeh; Edward Tagge; Richard Weiss; Kuo Jen Tsao; Aaron P. Garrison; Grace Mak

doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2021.10.024

Is the changing landscape of fellowship recruitment during COVID-19 here to stay?

Shreya Gupta, L. Grier Arthur, Nicole Chandler, Paul Danielson, Cynthia Downard, Peter Ehrlich, Barbara Gaines, Brian Gray, Patrick Javid, Michel Lallier, Benedict Nwomeh, Edward Tagge, Richard Weiss, Kuo Jen Tsao, Aaron P. Garrison, Grace Mak

All Children's Hospital

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: The 2020 Pediatric Surgery (PS) fellowship selection process was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. A review of lessons learned can help determine best practices for the future. The purpose of the study was to analyze the virtual interview experience and assess opportunities to improve the post-pandemic fellowship recruitment process. Study Design: Using a 28-question survey of Program Directors (PDs) of PS fellowships as well as a 44-question survey of applicants to PS fellowships in the US and Canada, we gathered information on the recruitment process during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). Dichotomous, multiple choice and open-ended questions about the changes in process, platforms used, format, comparison to on-site interviews and overall satisfaction were used for objective and subjective feedback. Results: A 95% participation rate was recorded for the PD survey. 24 out of 55 programs (44%) changed their on-site interviews to virtual format due to the pandemic. Most PDs described their overall impression of virtual interviews as satisfactory (66%, 16/24) and did not have an impact on the applicant's success in the match (35/54; 65%). About 50% of PDs preferred to have on-site interviews with virtual screening in the future. While the participation rate from applicants was much less (26 of 70), responses confirmed our survey results. Majority preferred on-site interviews (17/26), 6 of which preferred virtual screening followed by on-site interviews. Conclusion: Components of virtual screening and interviews were found to have benefits financially and from both time and stress perspectives, and thus might survive past the pandemic. Levels of Evidence Level IV:.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	445-450
Number of pages	6
Journal	Journal of pediatric surgery
Volume	57
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2021.10.024
State	Published - Oct 2022

Keywords

Applicant selection
COVID-19
Pediatric surgery fellowship
Program director survey
Ranking
Virtual interviews

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Surgery
Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2021.10.024

Cite this

Gupta, S., Grier Arthur, L., Chandler, N., Danielson, P., Downard, C., Ehrlich, P., Gaines, B., Gray, B., Javid, P., Lallier, M., Nwomeh, B., Tagge, E., Weiss, R., Tsao, K. J., Garrison, A. P., & Mak, G. (2022). Is the changing landscape of fellowship recruitment during COVID-19 here to stay? Journal of pediatric surgery, 57(10), 445-450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2021.10.024

Gupta, S, Grier Arthur, L, Chandler, N, Danielson, P, Downard, C, Ehrlich, P, Gaines, B, Gray, B, Javid, P, Lallier, M, Nwomeh, B, Tagge, E, Weiss, R, Tsao, KJ, Garrison, AP & Mak, G 2022, 'Is the changing landscape of fellowship recruitment during COVID-19 here to stay?', Journal of pediatric surgery, vol. 57, no. 10, pp. 445-450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2021.10.024

@article{dc2a56402ec241168ee2f61b8891efa5,

title = "Is the changing landscape of fellowship recruitment during COVID-19 here to stay?",

abstract = "Background: The 2020 Pediatric Surgery (PS) fellowship selection process was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. A review of lessons learned can help determine best practices for the future. The purpose of the study was to analyze the virtual interview experience and assess opportunities to improve the post-pandemic fellowship recruitment process. Study Design: Using a 28-question survey of Program Directors (PDs) of PS fellowships as well as a 44-question survey of applicants to PS fellowships in the US and Canada, we gathered information on the recruitment process during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). Dichotomous, multiple choice and open-ended questions about the changes in process, platforms used, format, comparison to on-site interviews and overall satisfaction were used for objective and subjective feedback. Results: A 95% participation rate was recorded for the PD survey. 24 out of 55 programs (44%) changed their on-site interviews to virtual format due to the pandemic. Most PDs described their overall impression of virtual interviews as satisfactory (66%, 16/24) and did not have an impact on the applicant's success in the match (35/54; 65%). About 50% of PDs preferred to have on-site interviews with virtual screening in the future. While the participation rate from applicants was much less (26 of 70), responses confirmed our survey results. Majority preferred on-site interviews (17/26), 6 of which preferred virtual screening followed by on-site interviews. Conclusion: Components of virtual screening and interviews were found to have benefits financially and from both time and stress perspectives, and thus might survive past the pandemic. Levels of Evidence Level IV:.",

keywords = "Applicant selection, COVID-19, Pediatric surgery fellowship, Program director survey, Ranking, Virtual interviews",

author = "Shreya Gupta and {Grier Arthur}, L. and Nicole Chandler and Paul Danielson and Cynthia Downard and Peter Ehrlich and Barbara Gaines and Brian Gray and Patrick Javid and Michel Lallier and Benedict Nwomeh and Edward Tagge and Richard Weiss and Tsao, {Kuo Jen} and Garrison, {Aaron P.} and Grace Mak",

note = "Funding Information: While this switch from on-site to virtual interviews was acutely required during the pandemic, this was not the first time PS fellowships had explored changing their interview process. Prior to COVID-19, the work restrictions on general surgical residents, American Board of Surgery rules about absences from training, and the financial hardships faced by candidates led PS educational leaders to consider changes to the application process to benefit all stakeholders (the candidates, the general surgery programs and the PS fellowship programs). Previously the concept of central or virtual interviews was explored [2] . However, many felt the on-site experience was invaluable for both candidates and programs alike in determining the rank list and best fit for match. To address these concerns, the Applicant Committee was created within the Association of Pediatric Surgery Training Program Directors (APSTPD) to explore different ways to improve the interview process. Recent recommendations from this committee has included limiting the total number of interviews offered thereby decreasing the interview burden for applicants, utilizing a centralized electronic scheduling platform, and centralizing program information into one location on the American Pediatric Surgery Association (APSA) website. In 2018, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in Florida screened candidates via videoconference to determine who to invite for on-site interviews. According to Chandler et al., both faculty and applicants agreed that the video interviews were a reasonable option and allowed them to accurately represent themselves. Despite these positive responses, a single, “high-stakes” on-site interview remained the mainstay for the majority of the PS fellowships in the US and Canada [2] . Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2022",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2021.10.024",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "57",

pages = "445--450",

journal = "Journal of pediatric surgery",

issn = "0022-3468",