Key Criteria for Selection of Radiology Residents: Results of a National Survey 1 Hansel J. Otero, MD, Sukru M. Erturk, MD, Silvia Ondategui-Parra, MD, MPH, Pablo R. Ros, MD, MPH Rationale and Objectives. We sought to identify the criteria that academic radiology departments in the United States consider for selecting their residents. Materials and Methods. In a cross-sectional study, a validated survey was sent to all the program directors of radiology residency programs. A total of 25 variables were studied. Descriptive statistics and correlations were calculated by the  2 test. Nonparametric correlations were calculated with the Kruskal-Wallis rank test. Statistical significance was set at 5% -error level (P  .05). Results. We had a response rate of 53.1% (77 of 145). All responders participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), and 93.5% fill all their positions through NRMP. The preinterview selection criteria showed no significant difference by size, region, or affiliation with a medical school. An “interviewing body” carries out the interview process in 87.3% of the cases. Residents and fellows are part of the interviewing body in 76.5% of the programs, the body has the final word in accept- ing candidates in 62.9% of the programs, 55.4% of the programs use score sheets during interviews with candidates, and only 6.5% of the programs perform panel interviews. Programs associated with a medical school are significantly more likely to have more members in their interviewing body and to use score sheets when evaluating candidates, and panel interviews (more than one candidate or interviewer) are significantly more common among programs in the northeast region. Conclusion. All preinterview selection criteria and some interview structural characteristics are independent of the pro- gram’s size, region, or affiliation with a medical school. More research regarding optimal preselection and interview pro- cesses is needed, and closer attention should be paid to the NRMP process if current practices are to be maintained. Key Words. Radiology residency; candidates selection. © AUR, 2006 Directors of radiology residency programs share the ulti- mate goal of choosing the most competent and proficient candidates for their programs by using selection measures that will predict residency performance (1) and identify residents who are the best matches for the department and for whom the department is the best choice (2). The se- lection process usually includes a preselection review of medical school performance and an interview phase car- ried out before deciding which candidates will be ac- cepted. Several studies to identify which selection criteria best predict in-training performance of radiology residents (1, 3–5) have consistently found a lack of correlation be- tween academic performance during medical school or preclinical training and later performance during resi- dency training (1, 6–10), suggesting that the assessment of noncognitive abilities is key for successful recruitment (1, 11, 12). Radiology is a specialty in high demand; each year residency programs receive hundreds of applications for a few residency posts, and great financial and human re- sources are used to screen and evaluate those applicants (13, 14). The success of the recruitment process deter- mines the success of the program if we assume that “a Acad Radiol 2006; 13:1155–1164 1 From the Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02110. Received April 17, 2006; accepted June 20, 2006. Address correspondence to: H.J.O. e-mail: hotero@partners.org © AUR, 2006 doi:10.1016/j.acra.2006.06.012 1155