PMCV + VidCruiter
Since 2021, PMCV has been working with VidCruiter to streamline its Allocation and Placement Service (APS). One of PMCV’s main projects was to tackle the recruitment challenges presented by COVID-19, by implementing a convenient solution that transitioned their placement process away from face-to-face interviews.
About PMCV
The Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria (PMCV) supports and advocates for junior doctors and other medical prevocational trainees by providing accreditation, education, and training opportunities. PMCV also offers a candidate/health services matching program through its Allocation and Placement Service (APS), which is utilized by Victorian health services.
The Challenge
Busy healthcare teams required to conduct time-consuming in-person panel interviewsBefore COVID-19 halted a lot of in-person meetings, PMCV helped the state of Victoria’s health services to facilitate face-to-face interviews as part of a larger application process.
Each candidate would share their preferences on where they’d like to be placed, and they’d need to be interviewed by each health service they chose as a preference (each service had its own assessment criteria). “There are sometimes hundreds of candidates per match. Health services want the best candidates so they’d need to interview nearly all of them,” a PMCV representative tells us.
“Previously to pre-recorded video interviewing, each health service – and there’s about 25 in our Internship Match – would panel interview candidates in person.” Each in-person interview panel would consist of senior medical staff and administrative healthcare professionals. It took up a lot of time to schedule and conduct interviews in this way, especially when considering the sheer number of candidates.
The resource-heavy interviewing process was the main challenge faced by health services. However, PMCV was aware other challenges should be mitigated too. For instance, particular cohorts were found to share interview questions with others, making the interviews less effective than they could be. Additionally, international candidates needed to be available for telephone interviews based on the Victoria, Australia workday, which could prove difficult.
The Solution
VidCruiter’s pre-recorded interviews seamlessly integrated within the online applicationThe team at PMCV was aware that pre-recorded video interviews could help to eliminate the resources needed to facilitate so many interviews. PMCV did use another video interview provider previously, but their solution was prone to crashing – they ultimately found their solution with VidCruiter.
PMCV shares that while there were a variety of options, they were looking for a vendor that could offer them features that went beyond the basics. “We wanted asynchronous interviewing, but a lot of providers have that. We needed a solution that could randomize a bank of questions, which was something that VidCruiter was able to solve.” This feature would help reduce the risk of answer-sharing amongst cohorts.
Additionally, they needed a solution they could integrate into their custom-built Allocation and Placement Service. “VidCruiter’s pre-recorded interviews was able to integrate with our APS,” PMCV explains. The candidate’s interview is captured within VidCruiter, and the integration allows VidCruiter to seamlessly send the data back to PMCV’s platform.
White labeling their environment was another factor in PMCV’s decision-making process so that they could use their branding throughout the interviewing process to match the other steps a candidate takes. “We wanted candidates to have a seamless experience. With VidCruiter, the candidate doesn’t need to know that they’re in a different environment when they’re interviewing – it just appears like they’re in our environment.”
“VidCruiter is very customizable and adaptable – that’s one of the features we have enjoyed. The amount of customization actually promotes innovation, because you’re able to think of ways that the system works and adapt it to your own purposes.”– PMCV Medical Workforce Representative. The Results
Significant time savings, and a more centralized resource for candidates and ratersVidCruiter’s is now used as part of a seamless online application process. The process has set time periods for each stage, keeping candidates and raters organized and accountable. “Candidates submit their applications and share their preferences. Next, there’s a defined period where candidates need to complete the video interview, and we need to have that reflected in our system that it’s complete. There’s then a defined period where the raters need to view the interview.”
The centralization of all steps has been a convenient improvement for both the candidates and the raters. The raters – predominantly busy senior medical staff and healthcare administrators – now have one place to go to for all details about their candidates. Additionally, candidates no longer have to complete multiple interviews for different health services. Instead, they’re provided with the right interview questions based on their selection.
For some international candidates, navigating the time difference is no longer an issue. “Now, health services can provide candidates with an interview link that can be completed whenever they want. Obviously, it’s much easier than setting up an interview with time zone differences,” PMCV summarizes.
The biggest benefit has been the time saved by replacing time-consuming two-way screening methods with VidCruiter. “We’ve reduced the workload burden throughout the system, which frees up a lot of resources. As the video interviews don’t need to be scheduled, healthcare teams have seen a vast reduction of administrative work.” Additionally, the senior doctors no longer need to be a part of time-consuming panel interviews – instead, they can watch the pre-recorded videos when they have availability.
“I would say you can calculate this 1000s and 1000s of hours saved based on using pre-recorded video interviews and centralizing that resource.” PMCV + VidCruiter: A successful partnership
Saved 1000s of hours
Seamless implementation with current platform
Centralized resource for all
Reviewers evaluate around their schedule
