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Expectations Versus Reality: Understanding the Accuracy of Impressions Made During Virtual Interviews of Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship Programs
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  • Daniel T. Atwood,
  • Laura Chiel,
  • Benjamin Nelson,
  • Alicia Casey
Daniel T. Atwood
Boston Children's Hospital Department of Pediatrics

Corresponding Author:daniel.atwood@childrens.harvard.edu

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Laura Chiel
Boston Children's Hospital Department of Pediatrics
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Benjamin Nelson
Mass General Hospital for Children
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Alicia Casey
Boston Children's Hospital Department of Pediatrics
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Abstract

Rationale: As a result of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, all pediatric pulmonary fellowship programs conducted virtual interviews for the first time in the Fall of 2020. This study aimed to understand the accuracy of virtual-interview derived-impressions of fellowship programs, as well as applicant preference for future fellowship interview cycles. Methods: A group of pediatric pulmonary fellows and Program Directors designed a REDCap survey. The survey was distributed to all first-year pediatric pulmonary fellows who participated in the 2020-2021 virtual interview season. Results: 23/52 (44%) of first-year pediatric pulmonary fellows completed the survey. 96% were able to form general impressions about fellowship programs during their virtual interviews. 96% reported that generally their fellowship experience matched their virtual-interview derived-impressions. 17 of 19 factors applicants use to rank programs had no statistically significant change (p > 0.05) in impression from virtual interview to fellowship experience. The two factors with a statistically significant (p < 0.05) change in impression were patient care related – volume of ‘bread and butter’ pediatric pulmonary patients and volume of tertiary care pediatric pulmonary patients. 87% prefer some form of in-person interview option in future application cycles. A tiered interview format in which applicants are first invited to a virtual interview day followed by an optional in-person second look day was the most popular preference for future interview cycles (48%). Conclusions: Virtual interviews may provide accurate representations of pediatric pulmonary fellowship programs and applicants prefer some type of in-person interview option in future application cycles.
24 Jun 2022Submitted to Pediatric Pulmonology
24 Jun 2022Submission Checks Completed
24 Jun 2022Assigned to Editor
02 Jul 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
18 Jul 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
09 Aug 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Major
14 Sep 20221st Revision Received
14 Sep 2022Submission Checks Completed
14 Sep 2022Assigned to Editor
14 Sep 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
05 Oct 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
10 Oct 2022Editorial Decision: Accept
Jan 2023Published in Pediatric Pulmonology volume 58 issue 1 on pages 306-314. 10.1002/ppul.26201