Evaluation of Adult Neurology Residency Program Websites.

Abstract

Neurology residency program websites often serve as the initial face of a program for prospective residents early in the application process. We evaluated adult neurology residency program websites to determine their comprehensiveness to identify areas for improvement. A list of adult neurology residency programs in the United States was compiled using information on the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA) websites. A total of 24 website criteria covering educational, recruitment, and compensation content were assessed for comprehensiveness. Programs' website comprehensiveness was compared based on geographic location, program affiliation (community and/or academic), program size, and program/hospital Doximity and U.S. News & World Report rankings. A total of 153 US adult neurology residency program websites were evaluated. Fewer than one-half of program websites were accessible with a direct link from either FREIDA or ERAS. The number of residency program websites reporting each content criterion varied greatly. Mean percentage of overall website comprehensiveness among neurology residency programs was 65.9%. Northeast location, academic affiliation, larger programs, and top-ranked programs on Doximity were associated with greater program website comprehensiveness. There is opportunity for all neurology residency programs to improve their websites to provide prospective applicants with a more informed and comprehensive perspective of programs during the application process. ANN NEUROL 2021;89:637-642.