An excellent resident recruitment program that includes in-person elements can be beneficial for both potential residents and program leaders by ensuring the program is a good fit for the learners who ultimately join, allowing them to thrive in the environment.
Jenessa Wilson and Lisa Meyer explored how residents and program leaders experienced no-stakes, in-person, second-look events that gave candidates a chance to experience a program’s culture firsthand. The authors presented their findings in a poster presented at the 2025 ACGME Annual Educational Conference, held February 20-22, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Poster Title: Showing Your Program’s Culture Through Virtual Interviews and No-Stakes, In-Person, Second-Look Events
Primary Author: Jenessa Wilson
Co-Author: Lisa Meyer
Note: Ms. Wilson and Ms. Meyer answered the questions collectively via email.
ACGME: Tell us about your academic and professional roles.
Ms. Wilson: I am an education program coordinator for the internal medicine residency program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. I have been at Mayo for six years. Before joining internal medicine, I was a case manager specializing in disabilities and mental health care, with a strong foundation in crisis intervention, treatment planning, and patient advocacy. In 2014, I was part of the statewide implementation of Person Center Planning within Scott and Carver County, Minnesota. I joined the Mayo Clinic in 2018, where I assisted with opening the Herman House, a mental health residential treatment center. In 2020, I changed my focus from mental health to education. I’m actively involved with the Clinical Competency Committee and manage several recruitment initiatives within the program. I am also a member of the Mayo Internal Medicine Residency Selection Committee Team, which reviews nearly 3,000 applications and interviews 500 applicants per year. I have given presentations at numerous internal and external events on topics including mental health, event and person planning, and best practices for resident/fellowship interviews.
Ms. Meyer: I am the program manager for the internal medicine residency program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. I have worked at Mayo for 35 years, all of which have been in education. I have a degree in supervisory leadership and have experience in managing both residency (internal medicine) and fellowship (gastroenterology) programs. In 2009, I received Mayo’s Outstanding Education Program Coordinator Award, and in 2012, I received the ACGME Program Coordinator Excellence Award [now the Debra L. Dooley GME Program Coordinator Excellence Award]. I have been actively involved in recruitment and serve as a member of the Mayo Internal Medicine Residency Selection Committee Team. I have presented at numerous internal venues, on topics such as recruitment tips to medical students and best practices for resident interviews. I have also presented at national ACGME and Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine meetings on topics related to accreditation, job description promotion, resident administrative duty tracking, and development of coordinator surveys.
ACGME: Can you briefly describe your research project for us?
Wilson: A well-organized residency recruitment process enhances the experience for both applicants and programs. While virtual interviews are efficient and cost effective for applicants, they require complex coordination by the program and cannot fully replicate in-person visits. Second-look visits complement virtual interviews, showcasing a program’s culture. This involves scheduling time with program leadership, residents, and multidisciplinary teams, and highlighting program features while exploring the hospital(s), clinic(s), campus, and city.
ACGME: What inspired you to do this project?
Meyer: Virtual interviews have been well-received by both applicants and program directors, offering financial savings, reduced travel time, expanded access to distant programs, and decreased environmental impact. However, challenges remain in showcasing residency and fellowship facilities and conveying a program’s ethos. Students find it difficult to perceive a program’s culture and assess their own fit with that culture.
Residency programs have taken proactive steps, such as offering virtual tours and informal social time, but more effective ways to convey a program’s culture are needed. One proposed solution is in-person second looks, which highlight the livability of the educational program site, community involvement opportunities, local recreational activities, and other local services. These second looks, initially offered virtually, are now being offered in person.
ACGME: What did you discover?
Wilson: The No-Stake Second-Look site visits had a positive impact on attendees, with 93.8 percent reporting a positive influence on their perception of the program’s culture, and 78.5 percent reporting a positive influence on their perception of the geographic location. Additionally, 76.9 percent of attendees stated that the site visit influenced their ranking decision positively. Matching data showed that 53.1 percent of matched residents attended an in-person visit, with higher percentages among women (56.0 percent) and those underrepresented in medicine (UIM; 60.0 percent). Overall, if a program is going to continue to do virtual interviews for recruitment, it would be a benefit to hold [events like our] No-Stake In-Person Second Look.
ACGME: What was the main takeaway?
Meyer: The residency recruitment process demands careful coordination and timing to ensure a positive experience for both candidates and program planners. Effective recruitment matches the organization with the right candidates. A well-organized process, including comprehensive information during virtual interviews, is crucial. Planning no-stakes, in-person, second-look events allows candidates to experience the program’s culture firsthand. [In our findings,] these events have been shown to enhance capture rates among women and UIM applicants, promoting diversity within our internal medicine residency program.
ACGME: Who could benefit from this research?
Wilson: Program directors, faculty members, and administrators involved in their program’s recruitment and selection processes, as well as those exploring additional methods to enhance virtual interviews, would all benefit from our findings.