The following is a summary of “Geographic and demographic trends with the initiation of virtual interviews in general surgery: A 7-program evaluation,” published in the July 2024 issue of Surgery by Moreci et al.

Virtual interviews have become the predominant format in general surgery residency applications, yet their comprehensive impact still needs to be explored. While single-institution studies have indicated a surge in application numbers and virtual interviews, they have yet to discern alterations in the geographic origins of interviewed or matched candidates. This study aimed to elucidate national trends regarding the geographic characteristics of applicants, interviewed individuals, and matched candidates across virtual and in-person application cycles.

A retrospective analysis encompassed seven general surgery residency programs spanning application years 2016–2019 (in-person) and 2020–2021 (virtual). Data encompassed applicants’ birth year, gender, ethnicity, state of medical school, and location at the time of application—the analysis employed generalized mixed effects and linear models.

The study involved 52,742 applicants, 4,550 interviewees, and 329 matched candidates. Virtual application cycles did not manifest increases in annual averages of applicants (P = .25), interviewees (P = .36), or matched candidates (P = .84). Notably, virtual cycles evidenced a notable rise in interviews with candidates from out-of-state medical schools (P < .01) and listing out-of-state locations (P < .01) compared to in-person cycles. However, no significant differences were observed in the geographic distribution of matched candidates between virtual and in-person cycles.

Virtual application cycles promoted greater geographic diversity among interviewees, yet this trend did not extend to matched candidates. The absence of notable shifts in the geographic diversity of matched applicants during virtual cycles warrants further investigation. Future efforts should concentrate on comprehending the factors underlying these outcomes to optimize the inclusivity and effectiveness of virtual interviewing in residency admissions.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0039606024003866