A formal reception improves orthopaedic surgery residency program applicant perceptions of the interview experience.

Orthopaedic surgery residency program (OSRP) applicant selection is an essential part of program success. The perceived quality that applicants place on an OSRP may influence whether or not they apply. Efforts are being made in Kentucky to recruit the best possible applicants for residency programs. This study evaluated the relationship between the pre-interview reception structure and applicant perceptions of the interview process. A retrospective study of prospectively collected data from all OSRP applicants interviewed between 2001 and 2006 was performed. Applicants interviewed between 2002 and 2006 received an informal reception without direct faculty involvement. Applicants interviewed between 2000 and 2001 received a formal reception with direct faculty involvement. The overall response rate was 86.4% (178 of 206 interviewees). Applicants who participated in the formal reception developed a more positive perception of the interview process (Fisher's Exact Test = 7.71, P = 0.035). Presenting a positive image of the OSRP as an important marketing tool. The formal reception generated a more positive applicant perception.