title: Use of the Interview in Resident Candidate Selection: A Review of the Literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the resident candidate interview is costly and time-consuming for both applicants and programs, it is considered critically important for resident selection. Noncognitive attributes, including communication skills and professionalism, can be assessed by the personal interview.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a review of the literature on the residency interview to identify the interview characteristics used for resident selection and to ascertain to what extent the interview yields information that predicts future performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched PubMed and Scopus using the following search terms: residency, internship, interview, selection, and performance. We extracted information on characteristics of the interview process, including type of interview format, measures taken to minimize bias by interviewers, and testing of other clinical/surgical skills.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 104 studies that pertained to the resident selection interview, with highly varied interview formats and assessment tools. A positive correlation was demonstrated between a medical school academic record and the interview, especially for unblinded interview formats. A total of 34 studies attempted to correlate interview score with performance in residency, with mixed results. We also identified a number of studies that included personality testing, clinical skills testing, or surgical skills testing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our review identified a wide variety of approaches to the selection interview and a range of factors that have been studied to assess its effectiveness. More research needs to be done not only to address and ascertain appropriate interview formats that predict positive performance in residency, but also to determine interview factors that can predict both residents' "success" and program attrition.
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stephenson-Famy
authors.forename: Brenda S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Houmard
authors.forename: Sidharth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oberoi
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manyak
authors.forename: Seine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards*; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000592:standards*; D012570:School Admission Criteria