Information scarcity among otolaryngology applicants: A review of the largest database of programs.

Objective: Otolaryngology residency applicants face challenges finding accurate information about training programs. Social media platforms are not verified, and official training program websites are not standardized. Currently, the American Medical Association's Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA) is the most comprehensive sanctioned and verified otolaryngology residency program database. However, the exact amount of information shared by individual programs included is not presently known.
Methods: Herein, we analyzed the available data on all 124 otolaryngology residency programs in FREIDA to assess the completeness of the database.
Results: While every program listed an address, contact email, and the name of the program director, more than half of programs (n = 65, 52.4%) did not provide additional information. Most programs (70.2%) did not include a one-paragraph program description.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that while FREIDA is the only sanctioned online database for residency programs, it is inadequately populated with detailed program information. Level of Evidence: N/A.

INTRODUCTION

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has disrupted the residency application process and introduced barriers for otolaryngology applicants to learn about training programs. Program directors (PDs) acknowledge that the limitation in away sub‐internship rotations and the possibility of virtual rotations will hinder otolaryngology applicants' ability to learn about programs across the country. Indeed, most applicants in a surveyed cohort from the 2020–2021 cycle reported that they did not have sufficient information when creating their rank lists.

While many applicants already utilize online resources to evaluate residency programs, limited in‐person program exposure has elevated their weight. Program websites allow applicants to learn about current residents and faculty, but the available information is not standardized and may not contain details that applicants' value (call schedules, educational tracks, gender distribution of faculty/residents, etc). Information from online forums such as Otomatch is shared anonymously and is not verified by the site or institution.

In order to improve access to information about residency programs across specialties, the American Medical Association established the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA) in 1982. , FREIDA is the largest, verified, and standardized database of information about all 124 otolaryngology residency programs, and as of July 2020, there have been over 23,000 unique views (~185 unique page views per otolaryngology program) within the database. However, the completeness of the database is not known. As FREIDA is the official resource for otolaryngology applicants to search and compare residency programs, we sought to describe available content categories and quantitatively analyze the completeness of the database.

The FREIDA database was accessed in December 2020. Each program entry in the database contains up to three sections (Overview, Program and Work Schedule, and Features and Benefits) with standardized data tables throughout. The Overview section contains basic information including the location/sponsoring institution, a link to the program website, a brief, one‐paragraph description and contact information for both the PD and coordinator (Figure 1A). Both the Program and Work Schedule section as well as the Features & Benefits section contain detailed information including the average duty hours and didactic hours per week, call schedule, educational features, and the percentage of female residents and physician faculty (Figure 1B,C). The tabular data within these three sections was abstracted for all 124 otolaryngology residency programs and the total number of responses for each indicator was calculated and reported as a percentage (number of programs reporting/total number of programs).

FIGURE 1

(A) Basic information availability in Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA). (B) Detailed information availability in FREIDA. (C) Sample of educational and employment features available in FREIDA

We report that more than half of all otolaryngology programs (n = 65, 52.4%) did not provide any detailed information within FREIDA (Figure 1B). On review of basic information, all programs listed their location, address, sponsoring academic institution, program contact email, and the names of both the program administrator and PD. Only a few programs were missing phone numbers for either the program administrator (4.8%, n = 6) or the PD (5.6%, n = 7), and 11 (8.9%) programs were missing direct hyperlinks to their program websites. Despite providing most of the other basic information, a majority of programs (70.2%, n = 87) did not include a brief one‐paragraph program description (Figure 1A).

DISCUSSION

FREIDA is the largest, standardized database of information about otolaryngology residency programs, yet we find that only half of all programs are utilizing the service to provide detailed information to applicants. With fewer opportunities to learn about programs in person, applicants increasingly rely upon online resources. While online discussion boards and program websites can offer insight, a standardized, official database like FREIDA has the potential to be a valuable resource.

Presently, it is unclear why many residency programs do not provide detailed information in FREIDA. One may speculate that PDs are not aware of the database or do not believe that applicants review it. However, web traffic suggests that the otolaryngology programs in FREIDA are regularly viewed. From a logistical perspective, the process of uploading and updating information within the database is streamlined and revolves around the completion of the Graduate Medical Education (GME) Program Survey via the Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC) web portal.

Of note, in 2020, the AAMC published Residency Explorer which is an additional tool to assist residency applicants with gathering information about programs. This tool combines data from the National Resident Matching Program, National Board of Medical Examiners, and National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners as well as applicant data from within the Electronic Residency Application Service to allow applicants to compare their qualifications (board scores, publications, work/volunteer/research experiences, etc.) with those of current residents. A core difference between Residency Explorer and FREIDA is that the former is designed for applicants to input their qualifications to assess their competitiveness at each program while the latter serves as a database for applicants to review without entering their own information. Importantly, both Residency Explorer and FREIDA gather data from the same GME Program Survey that is administered by the AAMC annually and collects detailed information about programs that applicants have indicated as important. Therefore, deficits in detailed information availability within FREIDA will also be present in the Residency Explorer database as both utilize the annual GME survey as their primary source of information.

CONCLUSION

In order to support applicants for the 2021–2022 cycle with additional data about otolaryngology programs, we suggest PDs consider completing the GME Program Survey. A comprehensive FREIDA database would be a welcome addition for otolaryngology applicants who are increasingly reliant upon online resources to aid in their decision making for the upcoming application cycle.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

No conflicts of interest.