Applicant Assessment of a Hybrid Interview Format for Pediatric Surgery Fellowship

jpedsurg.org

The COVID-19 pandemic demanded organizations drastically shift methods of communication to maintain essential functions, prioritizing virtual over in-person interactions. Many changes have endured and redefined communication. The pediatric surgery fellowship recruitment and interview process was acutely interrupted by the pandemic, and what was previously a time for programs and applicants to meet in person to share commonalities and find best fits became technological glitches and awkward first meetings over videoconference.

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Article · Mar 2026 · 1 min read

In brief

This article examines applicant perspectives on hybrid interview formats for pediatric surgery fellowship programs following pandemic-driven shifts from in-person to virtual recruitment. It explores how fellowship selection processes adapted to combine technological solutions with traditional assessment methods in surgical subspecialty training.

COVID-19 forced pediatric surgery fellowship interviews to shift from in-person to virtual formats, creating new communication challenges.
Virtual interviews introduced technological barriers and reduced the personal connection between programs and applicants.
The pandemic permanently altered fellowship recruitment, with hybrid models emerging as the new standard for applicant-program matching.
Traditional in-person interviews allowed better assessment of program culture and fit compared to videoconference formats.
Fellowship programs must now balance efficiency of virtual screening with the relationship-building benefits of in-person interactions.

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