VIRTUAL REALITIES
SAEM PULSE | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021
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result in a very long day with periods of down time. Consider maximizing time for interpersonal interactions with program leadership, faculty, and residents while minimizing time in passive listening or in a waiting room. Utilize Zoom breakout rooms. There are many ways to use Zoom effectively. Some programs set up a main room for students to congregate, have interviewers stay in their own breakout rooms, and rotate students into those interviewer rooms. Others find it easier to have the students stay in their own breakout rooms and rotate interviewers into the student rooms. The advantage of using breakout rooms rather than setting up separate Zoom links for each interview is that the interview coordinator can send out a five-
minute warning to all the breakout rooms simultaneously and try to keep everyone on-time. Prepare a back-up plan. Virtual interviews depend on reliable internet connections, which can go down at any time during the interview. Make sure that the applicant and the interviewer know the back-up plan and have phone numbers available in case the Zoom application goes down. Practice with all new interviewers or recommend that they use a residency office space for the interview so that the interview coordinator can help troubleshoot any problems. Schedule informal social time. This critical part of the virtual interview day is a great opportunity for applicants to meet your residents in small groups. Try to keep the groups small (4-6 people) to facilitate open discussion with the residents.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS r. Willoughby is an D emergency medicine chief resident at the Ohio State University. @laurwilloughby
r. Chen is a professor of D emergency medicine and associate residency director at the University of California, San Francisco. She is also the director of graduate medical education at San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Beaulieu is a second-year medical education fellow and interim assistant program director at the Ohio State University. @BeaulieuMD
