The virtual "CaRMS Social": useful tool or awkward gathering?

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the annual residency match (CaRMS Match) process to be conducted entirely virtually. Pre-pandemic, Canadian emergency medicine (EM) programs hosted a social event in conjunction with their interviews. Since 2021, all EM programs have offered a virtual social event to candidates participating in the virtual interview. Our study sought to explore the perceived impact of the virtual social event on candidates' program rankings, the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the virtual social, and how candidates felt virtual socials could be improved in the future. METHODS: A survey methodology was used for this study. Participants were residents in Canadian EM programs who had participated in the match in 2021, 2022, and 2023. The survey included one Likert scale question and narrative comment boxes to explore participant perspectives. Narrative comments were analyzed and grouped into themes. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 108 participants out of 236 residents who matched in those 3 years (45.8%). The mean impact of the virtual social on ranking decisions was 2.64 on a 5-point Likert scale. Participants valued the interactions with residents, observations of residents interacting with one another, and small group breakouts that allowed them to have their questions about the program answered. They also emphasized the time and cost- savings of the virtual format. They suggested that platforms with a user-controlled avatar (e.g., GatherTown) and large group activities were not useful. Virtual social interactions remained challenging for candidates as did fatigue with the virtual environment. CONCLUSION: The CaRMS Match process continues to take place in a virtual environment. Candidates continue to value social interactions with residents; however, barriers remain in making meaningful connections in these environments. Emergency medicine residency programs may consider other approaches to introducing their programs and residents to candidates as part of the electives and interview processes.