An Analysis of Obstetrics-Gynecology Residency Interview Methods in a Single Institution

Abstract

Objective: Interviews for residency are important for resident selection, yet how to best perform the interviews remains uncertain. Multiple approaches have been described with a variety of results. Our purpose of this study was to evaluate our Obstetrics-Gynecology residency program's interview structure to determine which interview components have association with performance evaluations completed by physicians and nurses during the residents' years of training at our program.

Design: Using only data from our matched residents, existing interview scores from our standard interview process were compared to performance evaluation scores completed by faculty and nursing throughout the training years. Our standard interview process consisted of 4 interviews with individual faculty, 1 structured behavioral-based interview by a blinded faculty member, and 1 interview with a pair of current residents.

Setting: A single, multisite, Obstetrics-Gynecology residency program.

Participants: Interviewees of the Obstetrics-Gynecology residency program that ultimately matched with our program.

Results: Interview scores from 44 residents were compared to their performance evaluation scores. Positive associations were seen between performance evaluation scores and both resident teams' interviews and unstructured faculty interviews, with the resident teams' score showing a stronger degree of association. The behavioral-based interview total score did not have association with the performance evaluation scores, nor did any of the individual questions.

Conclusions: Resident teams' interview scores of applicants show the strongest association with eventual performance evaluations completed by faculty and nursing during residency. This demonstrates that current residents should have a role in the resident selection process during interviews. This does not provide data to abandon behavior-based interview techniques, but rather encourage each program to carefully apply their use during the resident selection process.

Keywords: Graduate Medical Education; Interpersonal and Communication Skills; Obstetrics-Gynecology; SE; behavioral interviewing; interview; medical residency; standard error.