Table 3 Applicant-based recommendations for optimizing virtual interviews

Maximize the experience and minimize stress

· Provide ample opportunity to meet with current trainees and staff

· Reassure faculty and applicants that interviews can be conducted by phone, in the event of loss of connection

· Provide a separate “room” for socializing and asking questions

· Solicit feedback after the interviews

Improve applicants’ ability to present themselves

· Provide applicants with AAMC applicant preparation guide for virtual interviews

Improve face-to-face interactions

· Allow breaks between interviews

· Minimize distractions by silencing phones, etc

Improve ability to interact with other applicants

· Plan pre-interview social activities that end at a fixed time

· Allow time for applicants to congregate without faculty

· Encourage social media connections after interviews

Improve applicants’ ability to get a sense of location and facilities

· Showcase facilities with virtual tours

· Supply information ahead of time about: program, institution, location or city, cost of living, types of recreation and entertainment

· Encourage discussion with current trainees specifically about locale, community and lifestyle

Minimize bias, improve equity

· If offering virtual interviews, do it uniformly to maintain equity

· Reinforce implicit bias training for all interviewers

· Encourage virtual backgrounds to minimize bias

· Pay attention to time zone differences for applicants

· Consider standardized questions and scoring rubric

Minimize technical difficulties

· Appoint a tech-savvy moderator

· Test platform with interviewers prior to interview day

· Offer to test technology with applicants prior to interviews

· Consider a platform like Zoom, which was favored by applicants

· Provide contact numbers to call in case of technical difficulties

· Ensure interviewers are aware of potential technological difficulties/inequities and do not penalize applicants for them