VIRTUAL INTERVIEWING TIPS AND TRICKS By Cassandra Mackey MD and Christine Kulstad MD COVID-19 has led to a change in the practice of medicine and medical education. One area where the impact of COVID has been felt profoundly is in the area residency and fellowship application. In the past this would be accomplished with in-person interviews and meetings. These face-to-face opportunities were the best way for both the department and the applicant to find their perfect fit. COVID has changed all of that. To avoid spread of disease, there is a focus on minimizing in-person contact. Restrictions have been placed on the number of people who gather in groups and how far apart they must stand when gathering. The AAMC now recommends virtual interviews and meetings for all fellowship and residency applicants. Our goal in creating this piece is to provide guidelines for virtual interviewing and advice on how to put your best foot forward during virtual interviews. Virtual interviews are certainly a change from traditional interviews, but they have been used successfully in the past for residency and fellowship positions (as noted by Vadi et al 2016, Jones et al 2020, and Healy et al 2017.) There are many ways to optimize your success; we encourage you to invest in the time to determine which ways work best for you.
Preparation
Before interview day, download the residency program’s application. If the program application is one you have used before, ensure that your display name is a professional version of your actual name. To ensure the program’s technology/application works with your computer, run
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through a mock interview. Focus on the functionality of your camera. If your computer’s camera is low quality, consider using an external webcam. Evaluate the performance of your speakers and sound system and consider using headphones for better sound quality and to prevent feedback or echoing. Record and play back the mock interview, paying close attention to your unconscious habits (e.g. adjusting your glasses, playing with your hair, stroking your beard/mustache, chewing on your nails etc.) as these can be distractions. Note these habits and make a conscious effort to avoid them in the future. Having a friend or mentor watch the interview will give you additional perspective on areas for improvement. Spend some time before your first interview learning how to optimize your internet connection and image quality. Explore the options that are available on the application you will be using. Close other programs on your computer that might make the application run slower. Turn off other devices that use the Internet or at least temporarily turn off their WiFi connection. Find a place with a strong WiFi signal, close to the router, to maximize internet connection or, if possible, consider using a wired connection. All of these steps should help avoid a frozen video or lost audio signal. Just as you would prepare for any other interview, develop answers to questions you think will be asked. Explore the program’s website and watch their promotional videos to become familiar with the institution. Develop a list of questions.
