In a recently published Journal of Academic Ophthalmology article, Duke Ophthalmology first year resident Mark Goerlitz-Jessen, MD and colleagues report on the importance of residency program web presence (PWP) and its impact on recruitment of ideal candidates.
The study surveyed 860 applicants for ophthalmology residency training at Penn State University during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 application cycle. The survey sought applicants' perspectives with respect to their experiences with PWP and how those experiences shaped their application and rank list decisions.
Of 860 applicants, 214 (24.9%) responded, accounting for 17.4% (214/1,228) of all ophthalmology residency applicants during the respective cycles; 72.4% of respondents expressed PWP does impact where they apply, how they form their rank list, or both; 93.4% said websites are an important resource during the application process; 47.2% conveyed interest in programs utilizing social media tools; and 76.5% of respondents felt websites gave sufficient information less than 50% of the time.
The study found that PWP does impact resident recruitment. By enhancing program websites and adding social media tools, programs can improve recruitment efforts.