Pearls and Pitfalls of the Virtual Interview: Perspectives From Both Sides of the Camera.

As the SARS-COV-2 pandemic created the need for social distancing and the implementation of nonessential travel bans, residency and fellowship programs have moved toward a web-based virtual process for applicant interviews. As part of the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons 5th Annual Meeting, an expert panel was convened to provide guidance for prospective applicants who are new to the process. This article provides perspectives from applicants who have successfully navigated the surgical subspecialty fellowship process, as well as program leadership who have held virtual interviews.

Society of Gynecologic Oncology recommendations for fellowship education during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: Innovating programs to optimize trainee success.

In approximately ten months' time, the novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has infected over 34 million people and caused over one million deaths worldwide. The impact of this virus on our health, relationships, and careers is difficult to overstate. As the economic realities for academic medical centers come into focus, we must recommit to our core missions of patient care, education, and research. Fellowship education programs in gynecologic oncology have quickly adapted to the "new normal" of social distancing using video conferencing platforms to continue clinical and didactic teaching. United in a time of crisis, we have embraced systemic change by developing and delivering collaborative educational content, overcoming the limitations imposed by institutional silos. Additional innovations are needed in order to overcome the losses in program surgical volume and research opportunities. With the end of the viral pandemic nowhere in sight, program directors can rethink how education is best delivered and potentially overhaul aspects of fellowship curriculum and content. Similarly, restrictions on travel and the need for social distancing has transformed the 2020 fellowship interview season from an in-person to a virtual experience. During this time of unprecedented and rapid change, program directors should be particularly mindful of the needs and health of their trainees and consider tailoring their educational experiences accordingly.