Live Online Video Interviews Dramatically Improve the Plastic Surgery Residency Application Process

Abstract

Sir:FigureThe Plastic Surgery Residency Matching Program now requires Web-based applications through the San Francisco Matching Program.1 The competitiveness of the specialty also has required that the applicant spend significant time and money on the Match process to improve their chance of obtaining a position. Financial analysis found the interview process to be very expensive for plastic surgery applicants.2 Simple initiatives could be implemented by the residency programs to decrease the financial burden of their applicants. Such initiatives might include live online video interviews, which have already been initiated by the business community. This is technologically feasible now by means of Skype or any other software program. This will result in a decrease in the financial burden by saving on air travel, hotel, and time. Thus, we designed and conducted a survey study to prove further that live online video interviews can be as effective as a regular, formal interview. A survey was conducted of all candidates (24 applicants) who had an interview for the 2009 Match. Ten applicants were selected randomly to participate in Skype live online video interviews. A total of eight questions were repeated for each applicant at the in-person interview and the live online video interview by the senior author (Table 1). The responses were scored by the same interviewer based on subjective and objective parameters. This included completeness, ease of discussion, and relevance of conclusions reached by the candidate in response to questioning.Table 1: Interview QuestionsThere were a total of 100 applicants who applied for the 2009 Match. Twenty-four applicants were interviewed with 50 percent response rate. The average applicant applied to 10 programs (range, six to 18) and spent an average of $8000 on interviews (range, $5000 to $12,000). The interviews were conducted while the applicant was on vacation, on-call, in a research laboratory, or at home. There was no difference seen in objective parameters. The only exception was ease of discussion because all the candidates were perceived to be more relaxed during the live online video interview. It has been well documented that an average applicant spends $8000 on travel, hotel accommodations, and direct costs associated with the application process.3 In our study, we examined the use of modern technology as it pertains to the interview process. Although some people clearly have preferences as to which interview invitation to accept, others include the costs and airline schedules in their calculations. Web conferencing is a well-established form of holding important discussions in the business community. Using commercial Web conferencing tools or Skype would allow the applicants to “visit” more programs. At the same time, it would allow programs to conduct initial interviews almost face to face with many more applicants. This could lead to a change in the concept of “second-look” interviews.4,5 Live online video interviewing is an extremely effective tool with which to screen candidates or possibly in some cases substitute for the formal in-person interview. This method may alleviate the high cost absorbed by individual applicants who are seeking the best position among the independent plastic surgery programs throughout the country. Mark M. Melendez, M.D., M.B.A. Michael Dobryansky, M.D. Kaveh Alizadeh, M.D. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nassau University Medical Center, Long Island Plastic Surgical Group, Garden City, N.Y. DISCLOSURE The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article.