For the first time in five years, the University of California, San Francisco Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (UCSF OHNS) hosted resident interviews in-person.
In-person interviews were standard before the Covid-19 pandemic, so this is the first experience since 2020. Residency Coordinator, Steven Pletcher, MD, said: "While virtual interviews were functional, we found that the in-person format enhances the ability of applicants to learn the culture of our program and interact in a meaningful way with our current residents – their potential colleagues."
An Otolaryngology-specific survey conducted last year captioned the opinions of residents in the specialty on their preferences for in-person or virtual interviews. UCSF OHNS partnered with the Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) to gather the data. "When considering all pros and cons of each approach, 72% Otolaryngology applicants preferred in-person interviews while only 12% preferred virtual interviews," Dr. Pletcher said. "Additionally, 59% of applicants noted that the in-person interview experience resulted in them being more likely to rank a program highly (vs. 3% for the virtual format)."
The initiation of preference signaling has honed the number of interested and qualified applicants to the UCSF OHNS residency program.
Thank you to all the current and future UCSF OHNS residents for joining us in-person! We look forward to continuing our relationship and resident interviews in 2026.
