Making Lemonade Together -- How Program Directors, Applicants, and Medical Schools Can Thrive During the Upcoming Interview Season

Abstract

The virtual residency interview process ushers in a new era of medical education. Many stakeholders are increasingly concerned as validated recommendations regarding Match success appear less reliable, fossilized rules have become increasingly fluid, and traditional streams of communication have become inadequate. Program directors will look to sell their program using unvalidated methods. Applicants will make life-altering decisions using fewer data points than historically available. Medical schools will endeavor to advise their students as they gear up for breaking new ground. In this piece, we introduce considerations and recommendations for the main players involved in the virtual interview process. If each party prioritizes teamwork and communication, we can collectively tackle the challenges of the upcoming cycle and turn lemons into lemonade.