Virtual Subinternships in the COVID Era: Lessons Learned from Three Institutional Experiences.

After the cessation of all in-person visiting rotations during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic, many programs developed virtual rotations as an alternative for the recruitment and education of prospective applicants. In this study, we developed a consortium of three institutions each with a unique virtual subinternship and prospectively surveyed participating students in order to reflect and improve upon future rotations. All students participating in virtual subinternships at three institutions were administered the same pre subinternship and post subinternship electronic surveys. Subinternship curricula were developed independently at each respective institution. Fifty-two students completed both surveys, for an overall response rate of 77.6%. Students' primary objectives were to evaluate their fit with the program (94.2%), interact with residents (94.2%), gain faculty mentorship (88.5%), and improve didactic knowledge (82.7%). Postrotation surveys revealed that over 73% of students reported having met all of these objectives over the course of the rotation. On average, students ranked programs 5% higher overall after the rotation (P = 0.024). Postrotation results showed that the majority (71.2%) of students perceived the virtual subinternship as slightly less valuable than in-person subinternships but that all students would participate in a virtual subinternship again. Student objectives can be successfully met using the virtual format for subinternships. The virtual format is also effective in enhancing the overall perception of a program and its residents. Although students still prefer in-person subinternships, our results suggest that virtual rotations are more accessible and very capable of meeting student goals.

Differences in Applicant Perceptions of Virtual Interviews Between Integrated Plastic Surgery and Subspecialty Fellowship Applicants.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to survey and compare integrated plastic surgery and plastic surgery subspecialty fellowship applicants on their experiences with virtual interviews and to determine if there are differences between them. DESIGN: An IRB-approved survey study was conducted using the Qualtrics platform. SETTING: The study was conducted at the Johns Hopkins University and the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore Maryland. PARTICIPANTS: Applicants that applied to 1) the Johns Hopkins/University of Maryland or the University of California San Diego integrated plastic surgery residency programs, 2) craniofacial surgery fellowship, and 3) microsurgery, hand surgery, or burn surgery fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University were selected to participate in the survey. RESULTS: A total of 94 surveys were completed by residency applicants and 55 by fellowship applicants. After the interview season, 80% of fellowship applicants recommended virtual interviews compared to 61.7% of residency applicants (p = 0.03). Fellowship applicants reported significantly less issues with self-advocacy and did not view the virtual interview process as significant of a detriment when meeting program residents/staff, viewing the hospital/surrounding area, and learning about the program (p < 0.05). A higher percentage of fellowship applicants interviewed at multiple programs during a single day compared to residency applicants (56.4% vs 27.7%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A higher proportion of fellowship applicants prefer virtual interviews, which associated with key differences in perceptions, expectations, and priorities. Our data supports that fellowship programs may wish to continue virtual interviews even after COVID-related restrictions are lifted, because fellows are equally able to self-advocate in a virtual format while benefiting from cost and time savings; fellowship programs would also gain the cost and time savings from this model as well.

Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Applicant Perceptions of Virtual Interviews.

PURPOSE: The 2020-2021 interview cycle for integrated plastic surgery applicants was the first to be held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we detail the largest study on integrated plastic surgery applicant perceptions after the virtual interview cycle. METHODS: A 35-question institutional review board-approved survey was distributed to medical students who had applied to the Johns Hopkins/University of Maryland or University of California San Diego integrated residency programs during the 2020-2021 interview cycle. Survey questions assessed the structure, strengths, and weaknesses of the exclusively virtual interview process. Survey administration and data collection were performed using the Qualtrics platform. RESULTS: Of 318 distributed surveys, 94 were completed. In addition, 91.5% of respondents preferred in-person interviews before the interview season, whereas 54.3% preferred in-person interviews afterward. Applicants who favored virtual interviews did not view being unable to physically meet with program staff as a detriment (P = .001) and felt they could effectively advocate for themselves (P = .002). Overall, the most cited strengths were the ability to complete more interviews (P = .01) and cost benefits (P = .02). Criticisms were directed at the impersonal nature of the exchange (86.2%), lack of physical tour (56.4%), and difficulties at self-advocacy (52.1%). CONCLUSION: Preference for virtual interviews increased from 7.5% to 34.0% after the virtual interview cycle. For several students, the ideal interview structure permits both in-person and virtual interviews to maximize flexibility. Augmenting with virtual city tours and one-on-one interviews may mitigate the impersonal nature of virtual interviews as perceived by some applicants.

Virtual Surgical Subinternships: Course Objectives and a Proposed Curriculum.

BACKGROUND: Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, patient care and medical education have faced many significant changes. The Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgery officially recommended halting all student rotations and interviews for the year. This change has unfortunately fallen squarely at the onset of a vital season for education and recruitment of plastic surgery subinterns. This article presents a curriculum for a single institution's virtual surgical subinternship to help inspire ideas and inspiration for programs developing their own virtual subinternships. METHODS: The goals for the virtual surgical subinternship are focused on student preparation for residency and remain similar to those outlined by the core competencies for in-person rotations. The first virtual subinternship in plastic surgery modeled after the curriculum presented was offered as a 2-week course starting May of 2020. RESULTS: The components of the curriculum include a self-study syllabus, virtual case reviews, virtual suture laboratory, educational teleconferences, participation in research, and mentorship meetings. The 2-week course has approximately 25 hours of conferences and teaching, involving direct interaction with residents and faculty, and approximately 15 hours of self-directed learning. CONCLUSIONS: To the authors' knowledge, this was the first virtual subinternship offered for rising fourth-year medical students. They strongly encourage other residency training programs to offer similar virtual learning opportunities for medical students, particularly for those without access to a home plastic surgery training program. The curriculum presented in this article is simply to provide ideas, inspiration, and a potential framework for programs wishing to create similar virtual learning opportunities.

Applicant Preferences for Virtual Interviews: Insights from the 2020-21 Integrated Plastic Surgery Application Cycle.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented residency application cycle that required the use of virtual interviews. The inaugural class of applicants participating in virtual interviews were surveyed concerning their preferences and suggestions for future application cycles. METHODS: A survey was distributed to 349 individuals who applied for an integrated plastic surgery residency position at three institutions during the 2020-21 application cycle. Responses were analyzed to determine the most popular attributes of virtual interviews. RESULTS: Response rate was 44%. Eighty-six percent of applicants valued having time to consider their interview offers before scheduling; however, nearly one-third felt the instructions provided by programs lacked clarity and did not abide by the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons guidelines. Eighty-two percent of applicants valued having a preinterview social, and most preferred smaller breakout rooms organized by themes. A short interview day (less than three hours) was associated with less applicant familiarity with the program, its people, and its location when compared with medium (three to seven hours) and long (more than seven hours) interview days (P < 0.001 for all). Eighty percent of applicants preferred an interview day where they were placed into interview rooms by a program coordinator. CONCLUSIONS: The virtual interview format can be optimized in many ways to benefit both applicants and programs. The data presented in this article provide suggestions for future iterations of virtual interviews.