Recruiting Residents in a Virtual World
Choosing the next generation of physicians is among the most important responsibilities of an academic medical center. The process of reviewing applications and identifying residency candidates has evolved
dramatically in recent years, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Residency Program Director Linda Schiffhauer, MD.
For decades, residency recruitment followed a familiar model. Applicants traveled across the country for in-person interviews, spending time getting to know the institution, department, and current trainees.
While valuable, the process required significant time and expense for both applicants and programs. Even before the pandemic, a desire for a more holistic review, combined with increasing application volumes, had prompted the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine to adopt a more structured, committee-based review process to narrow the pool of candidates invited for interviews.
Recruitment Process Transformed
When the pandemic halted travel and in-person gatherings, residency programs nationwide were forced to rethink recruitment almost overnight.
Virtual interviews became the norm, and departments sought new ways to
showcase themselves online. To help applicants understand both Rochester and the residency experience, residents from programs throughout the medical center filmed creative video tours using GoPro cameras, highlighting their programs and life in the region. More than 80 were produced the summer of 2020.
While the transition was initially driven by necessity, changes have remained because of their advantages, said Associate Residency Program Director Chauncey Syposs, DO.
Removing travel costs and geographic barriers has broadened the applicant pool and increased diversity across multiple dimensions.
Expansion of Candidate Pool
Prior to the 2020 shutdown, the residency program made a decision to adopt a comprehensive review process to give individual consideration to every applicant when selecting candidates to interview. The interview committee was expanded to accommodate the need for a more in-depth review of the candidate pool in this mission-aligned framework.
The preemptive decision to grow the committee and candidate pool ended up benefiting the program during and after the pandemic, as more individuals pursued a spot in Rochester. Today, a committee of six to 10 faculty members reviews residency applications through a structured scoring and approval process before interview invitations are extended.
One helpful innovation to the process has been Thalamus, a residency recruitment platform that originated at URochester Medicine, Schiffhauer said. Founded by an SMD medical student working with faculty in Anesthesiology, it allows applicants to schedule interviews rather than coordinating through multiple email exchanges. The system was adopted by AAMC in 2023 for integration with ERAS.
“Utilizing Thalamus during the recruitment process allows a more efficient and holistic review of the increased volume of applications, thus enabling us to evaluate and score candidates more effectively,” Schiffhauer said.
The successful efforts to expand have enabled the program to interview substantially more candidates, from roughly four candidates per spot seven years ago, to as many as 10 to 15.
“We interview some great candidates who may not be a great fit necessarily for us,” Syposs said. “We're really trying to help all our applicants find the place that will be best for them.”
These are our future colleagues regardless of whether they
decide to complete their training here or elsewhere.”
Making Culture Visible
One challenge of virtual recruitment is conveying what it actually feels like to train in the department—the relationships among residents, interactions with faculty, and sense of community that develops over years of working together.
Faculty describe the program's culture as one built on collegiality and authenticity. Interviewers focus on honest conversations that help determine mutual fit. To support those interactions, the department offers virtual open houses, resident conferences, curriculum sessions, and virtual lunches with residents. Applicants also receive swag bags before interview day to help foster a sense of connection.
“We really try to stress that this is a program where you can be yourself and I think we live by that example,” Syposs said. “Honesty attracts candidates who are a great fit for our culture.”
Value of Face-to-Face Connections
Alex Besin, who completed his residency this spring and has matched at URochester for a hematopathology fellowship, remembers the challenge of gaining insight into the program during his own virtual
interview.
“What helped were the personalities,” he said. “Dr. Syposs was chief resident at the time, and Dr. (Bruce) Smoller was chair. Both helped to illustrate the department's unique culture.”
Besin has since participated in recruitment as an interviewer and sees limitations of virtual interactions. “Personally, I've found it hard to gauge candidates virtually,” he said. “I think that's why being able to meet medical students in person at national conferences has been such a boon.”
He pointed to growing medical student participation at the CAP Residents Forum and student-focused programming at USCAP.
“Having our residents there allows us to sell our unique attributes in person,” Besin said. “When applicants see us interacting as a close-knit team, that authenticity shows.”
This year, the department added an optional “second look” onsite visit. After virtual interviews were completed and the rank list had been finalized, applicants were invited to experience Rochester firsthand.
About a dozen candidates participated, Schiffhauer said. They met with residents, connected with faculty and staff, and explored daily life in Rochester. Because the visits occurred after rank lists were submitted, they informed applicants' decisions without affecting program rankings.
What's Next for Recruitment
We continue work to balance accessibility and personal connection, while preserving our goal to find those who will thrive here and become colleagues and friends after residency.