As we progress through the third season of virtual interviews, a process that originally felt awkward, clunky, and challenging has become routine, streamlined, and even convenient. Although in-person sub-internships have returned, once again affording applicants the opportunity to learn first-hand about residency programs, virtual interviews are seemingly here to stay. Throughout the transition to virtual interviews during the last 3 years of the pandemic, the Society of Academic Urologists provided oversight and guidance as they implemented simultaneous interview offers, flush day, and preference signaling to streamline this ongoing transition.

In the last 2 interview seasons, there was not a single unmatched vacancy at any program.^1,2 Applicants saved thousands of dollars as their concerns shifted from missing flights and navigating a foreign hospital system to having stable Internet connections, ideal lighting, and a working microphone.³ Despite the benefits and successes of virtual interviews, some aspects of in-person interviews are not translatable to a virtual format. For example, while applicants have dedicated time to meet with current residents and faculty, they have little or no time to interact with one another, opportunities that were previously afforded by pre-interview dinners and meet-ups.

Personality fit is often one of the most common factors used in selecting a medical specialty, including urology.⁴ Urologists in all stages of their career looked forward to reuniting with friends and colleagues as the AUA meeting returned to in-person this past spring. Developing strong peer relationships is vital, as our colleagues are frequently the ones we seek out for advice, celebrate successes with, and lean on when we encounter challenges and setbacks. Yet, the virtual interview world provides few opportunities to meet future peers and mentors.

Fortunately, numerous virtual mentorship experiences for medical students and applicants were born out of the pandemic. UroStream was created early on, and offered mentor-mentee pairing and educational experiences such as developing Tweetorials. Recognizing the effect virtual interviews could disproportionately have on minority and underrepresented applicants, several other organizations developed further opportunities for mentorship and guidance. These include the R. Frank Jones Urological Society from Urology Unbound, along with the UReTER Mentorship program from the University of California, San Francisco, Urologists for Equity, and LatinX in Urology. The Society of Women in Urology offered personal statement reviews to applicants as well. Unfortunately, many of these opportunities are advertised primarily through social media, which limits their audience, although medical students are increasingly using Twitter especially to pursue these opportunities.^5,6

As visiting sub-internships become the norm again, and section meetings and the AUA meet in person, applicants will once again have opportunities to meet and connect in person. I think fondly back to my own experiences as a sub-intern and on the interview trail; I appreciated the sense of camaraderie those experiences fostered and the lifelong friends and colleagues that resulted. To the current applicants: reach out and check in on your co-sub-interns and fellow applicants, meet up for lunch at future section meetings or the AUA, and find ways to stay connected during the interview season and residency.

There remain few opportunities for applicants in the same year to connect and meet one another along and outside of the interview trail. Just because we are all getting accustomed to virtual interviews doesn’t mean we aren’t all Zoomed out. These virtual acquaintances will be your friends and colleagues for years to come. As virtual interviews may stick around for the foreseeable future, given their success and practicality, we must create opportunities and encourage future applicants to develop these relationships and maintain this connectedness.