Virtual Strategies for Residency Recruitment

Social media is an increasingly powerful tool for helping radiology residency programs attract potential applicants. Whether it’s showcasing researchers, highlighting subspecialties or even connecting medical students with current residents or future mentors, social media is an important communication tool for recruitment. This was especially apparent during COVID-19, when in-person interactions became difficult or impossible and yet medical students still needed to learn about potential residency programs.

“Though there’s nothing new about social media, its use as a recruitment tool has been accelerated by the pandemic,” said Courtney Tomblinson, MD, assistant professor of radiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. “This has allowed programs to reach applicants who otherwise may have not known about or considered their program.”

Social media has also made it possible for applicants to highlight their interests, accomplishments and skills in a way that is refreshing, and to forge connections outside of their institutions, she said. “This is especially important for applicants who may come from an institution that lacks sufficient radiology resources— for example, one that doesn’t have a residency program—or for applicants from underrepresented groups,” Dr. Tomblinson noted.

Watch Dr. DeBendectis talk about how the specialty has put a greater emphasis on using social media and virtual platforms to recruit medical students. 

Social Media Tells a Story About Residency Programs

According to Cynthia Czawlytko, MD, former chief resident and current PGY-5 (fifth year post graduate) diagnostic radiology resident at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, radiology residency programs have put a greater emphasis on showcasing their culture virtually because of the pandemic.

Dr. Czawlytko and colleagues recently published a paper in Academic Radiology that described the results of a survey completed by 156 diagnostic and/or interventional radiology residency candidates. The survey focused on how the use of social media, virtual events and virtual interviews influenced how they perceived radiology residency programs and whether it had affected their decisions to apply to and interview at residency programs.

“Seventy-one percent of our respondents reported using a program’s social media page to learn more about the program and 41% reported that social media played a vital role in their decision-making,” Dr. Czawlytko said. “The findings suggest that residency programs should have some form of social media presence to facilitate applicants’ decision-making processes."

Keeping it Consistent and Authentic

In the era of virtual interviews, radiology residency programs need to send a consistent message to applicants about their program’s values, strengths, opportunities and even challenges, according to Priscilla J. Slanetz, MD, professor of radiology at Boston University Medical Center. She is also vice chair of academic affairs and faculty development and associate program director of the institution’s diagnostic radiology residency program.

Dr. Slanetz and colleagues published a piece in the Journal of the American College of Radiology about the importance of effective branding methods for radiology residency and fellowship programs. “A strong online presence gives applicants a glimpse into what it might be like to train at a specific program in a specific location, especially if an applicant has not had the opportunity to visit the location in person,” she said.