Background The COVID-19 pandemic presented many challenges for graduate medical education, including the need to quickly implement virtual residency interviews. We investigated how different programs approached these challenges to determine best practices. Methods Surveys to solicit perspectives of program directors, program coordinators and chief residents regarding virtual interviews were designed through an iterative process by two child neurology residency program directors. Surveys were distributed by email in May 2021. Results were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results Responses were received from 35 program directors and 34 program coordinators from 76 programs contacted. Compared to the 2019-2020 recruitment season, in 2020-2021, 14 of 35 programs received >10% more applications and most programs interviewed ≥12 applicants per position. Interview days were typically 5-6 hours long and were often coordinated with Pediatrics interviews. Most programs (13/15) utilized virtual social events with residents, but these often did not allow residents to provide quality feedback about applicants. Program directors could adequately assess most applicant qualities but felt that virtual interviews limited their ability to assess applicants’ interpersonal communication skills and to showcase special features of their programs. Most respondents felt that a combination of virtual and in-person interviewing should be utilized in the future. Conclusions Residency program directors perceived some negative impacts of virtual interviewing on their recruitment efforts but in general felt that virtual interviews adequately replaced in person interviews for assessing applicants. Most programs felt that virtual interviewing should be utilized in the future.
Background and Objectives:We aimed to identify how child neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities residency program directors (PDs) implemented revised Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requirements for adult neurology training for child neurology residents. Prior to 2014, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology certification for child neurology required an “adult year,” with no specified rotation requirements. At that point, programs scheduled a median of 10 months of adult neurology rotations during the third postgraduate year (PGY-3). In 2014, the adult neurology requirements were modified to include 6 months of hospital-based, 3 months of outpatient, and 3 months of other elective (may include neurophysiology, neuropathology, and/or neuroradiology) rotations. However, the effects of these changes on child neurology residency training nationally have not been characterized.Methods:A 16-item online survey was emailed to 79 PDs in the United States in September 2020. Survey responses were collected from September to October 2020. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and associations with departmental affiliation (pediatrics/neurology), graduate medical education (GME) funding source, and program size were compared using non-parametric tests.Results:Response rate was 72% (53 pediatric neurology, 3 neurodevelopmental disabilities). Programs’ median adult months per year were: 9 PGY-3, 2 PGY-4, and 1 PGY-5. Nearly all had both hospital inpatient and consult rotations with night and/or weekend shifts. 57% included neurocritical care and 36% epilepsy monitoring units. 48% of programs scheduled night and weekend shifts (including 25% that scheduled 24-hour call) for residents on outpatient and elective rotations. Few programs required adult neurophysiology (20%), neuropathology (32%), or neuroradiology (25%). Programs with children’s hospital GME funding (for either 2 or 3 years) tended to be larger (p = 0.008). Otherwise, departmental affiliation, funding source, and program size were not associated with rotation timing.Discussion:Most child neurology residency programs still consolidate adult training in the PGY-3 year, and often schedule additional hospital shifts during outpatient and elective months. However, there is a small shift toward adult neurology rotations occurring in the PGY-4 and PGY-5 years. Departmental affiliation, funding source, and program size do not consistently affect training practices. Few programs mandate adult neurophysiology, neuropathology, or neuroradiology rotations.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.