A Novel Adjuvant to the Resident Selection Process: the Hartman Value Profile

Objectives: The goal of resident selection is twofold: (1) select candidates who will be successful residents and eventually successful practitioners and (2) avoid selecting candidates who will be unsuccessful residents and/or eventually unsuccessful practitioners. Traditional tools used to select residents have well-known limitations. The Hartman Value Profile (HVP) is a proven adjuvant tool to predicting future performance in candidates for advanced positions in the corporate setting. Methods: No literature exists to indicate use of the HVP for resident selection. Results: The HVP evaluates the structure and the dynamics of an individual value system. Given the potential impact, we implemented its use beginning in 2007 as an adjuvant tool to the traditional selection process. Conclusions: Experience gained from incorporating the HVP into the residency selection process suggests that it may add objectivity and refinement in predicting resident performance. Further evaluation is warranted with longer follow-up times.