It was quite a virtual interview season, and there were definitely pros and cons.
From the applicant’s perspective, we saved money and had less stress related to travel, food and hotel/lodging. Thus, applicants could have applied to more programs they may not have initially considered if geography and/or financial reasons were
a concern. Programs also saved money, since they did not have to pay for food or incur other costs traditionally spent during in-person interviews. As an aside, one program sent a GrubHub coupon for dinner, and two programs mailed goodie bags, which
were creative and thoughtful alternatives. In addition, almost half of my interview days lasted less than three hours. It could have been perceived as a positive that the interview day was efficient, but others may view this as not enough time spent
with the program.