Virtual Interviews for Surgical Training Program Applicants During COVID-19: Lessons Learned and Recommendations.

SURGICAL PERSPECTIVE Virtual Interviews for Surgical Training Program Applicants During COVID-19: Lessons Learned and Recommendations Ryan W. Day, MD, Brigitte M. Taylor, CAP, Brian K. Bednarski, MD, Ching-Wei D. Tzeng, MD, Jeffrey E. Gershenwald, MD, Jeffrey E. Lee, MD, and Elizabeth G. Grubbs, MDY Keywords: COVID19, distance interview, fellowship interview, residency interview, SARS-CoV-2, social distancing, virtual interview (Ann Surg 2020;272:e144–e147) BACKGROUND I n-person interviews for surgical training programs have been suspended due to the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic.1,2 At The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, restrictions prohibiting visits to our institution, including trainee applicant interviews, were announced on March 9, 2020. In-person Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship interviews were scheduled for March 13 to 14, 2020 and were immediately converted to a virtual approach for these dates. The aim of this manuscript is to share lessons learned and recommendations for conducting virtual interviews for surgical trainee applicants. PERSONNEL Organizing virtual interviews for surgical trainees requires buy-in from stakeholders in the program. On March 9, a meeting of the Department of Surgical Oncology fellowship program education committee was held to choose between conversion to virtual interviews on the originally scheduled dates or to postpone and conduct in-person interviews at an unknown future date. The group concluded that a virtual approach on the originally confirmed dates was in the best interest of applicants. Essential personnel who coordinate efforts and participate can be broadly categorized as follows: 1. Program administration: Department Chair, Training Program Director (PD) and Associate Directors, Education Program Coordinator. 2. Interviewers: Faculty, current trainees 3. Information Technology: On-site IT support 4. Support staff: Administrative staff, noninterviewing program faculty 5. Trainee applicants TECHNOLOGY Information Technology (IT) personnel was identified as a necessity for organizing virtual interviews. Selection of a web-based teleconferencing platform was the first step in our planning. We selected WebEx (Cisco, San Jose, CA) as the platform to conduct interviews because of our institutional contract, but there are several From the Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. . The authors report no conflicts of interest. Copyright ß 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN: 0003-4932/20/27202-e144 DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000004064 e144 | www.annalsofsurgery.com other options including, but not limited to, Skype (Microsoft, Redmond WA) and Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, San Jose, CA). For our group activities, we utilized a hybrid approach; the trainee applicants all attended virtually and the PD and current trainees were physically present in a large conference room. If current local rules prevent congregation, group activities can employ a completely virtual approach with all individuals participating remotely. Programs will require platforms for web-based teleconferencing, digital cameras, and digital audio or landline telephones. We utilized a hybrid approach for individual interviews as well; often having 2 interviewers physically in 1 room interacting with the applicant. To facilitate this approach, we used a dedicated desktop computer for each applicant’s series of 6 interviews, whereas the interviewers rotated rooms. In a completely virtual approach most web-based teleconferencing applications have an option to utilize a virtual lobby and interviewers and applicants can be designated into private conversations. Contingency planning included obtaining contact information for applicants before initiating interviews so that telephone, FaceTime (Apple, Cupertino, CA), or other smartphone-based teleconferencing could be utilized as a backup. Laptops were on hand to be used as backups in the case of a technical malfunction with a desktop. INFECTION CONTROL When utilizing a conference room for a group activity, it is important to maintain proper social distancing in light of COVID19.3 Per current guidelines, individuals should remain spaced >6 feet apart and avoid direct physical contact with one another. Utilizing a single office for each applicant allowed for straightforward infection control. The desk, computer keyboard, mouse, and telephone were cleaned in-between each interviewer rotation. Interviewers were reminded of observed proper hand washing or use of hand sanitizer when rotating between applicant interviews. PRE-INTERVIEW COMMUNICATION A schedule of interview activities was provided to each applicant with instructions on how to access each activity using the selected teleconferencing platform. Some applicants had difficulty securing a computer, webcam, internet, and audio capabilities in a private space on short notice, and required the assistance of their current training programs. For previous in-person interviews, we provide a detailed packet of program information upon arrival. Two days in advance of the web-based virtual event, a portable document format (PDF) version was distributed. This document allows for meaningful use of interface time during interviews as questions may be developed before the event. FORMAT Overall, we maintained the general structure of our in-person approach. We truncated virtual activities as we hypothesized that Annals of Surgery  Volume 272, Number 2, August 2020 Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. ß 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. 7:55-8:15 8:20-8:40 8:50-9:05 Applicant #13 9:30-9:45 Applicant #22 9:10-9:25 Applicant#21 Interviewer 10 Interviewer 8 and 9 Interviewer 18 Interviewer 14 and 15 Interviewer 16 and 17 Interviewer 13 Interviewer 11 and 12 Interviewer 1 Interviewer 2 and 3 Interviewer 4 and 5 Interviewer 6 and 7 Interviewer 19 and 20 8:10-8:25 Applicant #14 7:30-7:45 Applicant #18 6:50-7:05 Applicant #23 9:10-9:30 Interviewer 8 and 9 Interviewer 10 Interviewer 19 and 20 Interviewer 18 Interviewer 14 and 15 Interviewer 16 and 17 Interviewer 13 Interviewer 11 and 12 Interviewer 1 Interviewer 2 and 3 Interviewer 4 and 5 8:30-8:45 Applicant #16 7:10-7:25 Applicant#19 6:30-6:45 Applicant #24 8:45-9:05 Interviewer 6 and 7 7:50-8:05 Applicant #17 Interviewer 6 and 7 Interviewer 4 and 5 Interviewer 2 and 3 Interviewer 8 and 9 Interviewer 6 and 7 Interviewer 8 and 9 Interviewer 10 Interviewer 10 Interviewer 8 and 9 Interviewer 6 and 7 Interviewer 19 and 20 Interviewer 19 and 20 Interviewer 4 and 5 Interviewer 18 Interviewer 18 Interviewer 10 Interviewer 14 and 15 Interviewer 13 Interviewer 11 and 12 Interviewer 1 Interviewer 2 and 3 Interviewer 4 and 5 Interviewer 16 and 17 Interviewer 16 and 17 Interviewer 14 and 15 Interviewer 13 Interviewer 1 (...truncated)