title: Accessibility, availability, and quality of online information for US radiation oncology residencies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Radiation oncology (RO) residency applicants commonly use Internet resources for information on residency programs. The purpose of this study is to assess the accessibility, availability, and quality of online information for RO graduate medical education.
  
  
  METHODS
  Accessibility of online information was determined by surveying databases for RO residency programs within the Fellowship Residency Electronic Interactive Data Access System (FREIDA) of the American Medical Association, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and Google search. As of June 30, 2015, websites were assessed for presence, accessibility, and overall content availability based on a 55-item list of desired features based on 13 program features important to previously surveyed applicants. Quality scoring of available content was performed based on previously published Likert scale variables deemed desirable to RO applicants. Quality score labels were given based on percentage of desired information presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FREIDA and ACGME databases listed 89% and 98% of program websites, respectively, but only 56% and 52% of links routed to a RO department-specific website, respectively. Google search obtained websites for 98% of programs and 95% of links routed to RO department-specific websites. The majority of websites had program descriptions (98%) and information on staff. However, resident information was more limited (total number [42%], education [47%], previous residents [28%], positions available [35%], contact information [13%]). Based on quality scoring, program websites contained only 47% of desired information on average. Only 13% of programs had superior websites containing 80% or more of desired information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with Google, the FREIDA and ACGME program databases provide limited access to RO residency websites. The overall information availability and quality of information within RO residency websites varies widely. Applicants and programs may benefit from improved content accessibility and quality from US RO program websites in the residency application process.
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Daniel V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Wakefield
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Bogdan A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Manole
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jethanandani
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama.
authors.forename: Samuel R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Marcrom
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Tennessee West Cancer Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Tennessee West Cancer Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Matthew T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ballo
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Tennessee West Cancer Center, Memphis, Tennessee. Electronic address: nvanderw@westclinic.com.
authors.forename: Noam A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: VanderWalde
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards*; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States