CHAD VS. THE ALGORITHM.
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| Title: | CHAD VS. THE ALGORITHM. |
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| Authors: | FEATHERS, TODD (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Wired. Jul/Aug2026, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p50-55. 6p. 5 Color Photographs. |
| Subjects: | Algorithmic bias, Artificial intelligence & ethics, Residents (Medicine), Data privacy, Medical students, Artificial intelligence |
| Abstract: | The article focuses on Chad Markey, a medical student who suspected that an AI screening tool called Cortex, used by residency programs to review applications, unfairly rejected his residency applications due to misinterpretation of his Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) language regarding medically necessary leaves of absence. Cortex, developed by Thalamus and used by about 30 percent of U.S. residency programs, employs AI primarily for grade normalization but does not officially score or rank applicants, though concerns about inaccuracies and opacity in its AI functions have been raised by applicants and some medical educators. Markey conducted extensive independent research and coding to reverse engineer potential AI biases and filed a data access request under the New Hampshire Privacy Act, but Thalamus clarified that Cortex did not use the scoring methods he suspected. The case highlights broader challenges in transparency, fairness, and regulation of AI tools in high-stakes hiring processes, contrasting them with more regulated AI-driven background check systems under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. [Extracted from the article] |
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| Database: | Engineering Source |
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| Abstract: | The article focuses on Chad Markey, a medical student who suspected that an AI screening tool called Cortex, used by residency programs to review applications, unfairly rejected his residency applications due to misinterpretation of his Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) language regarding medically necessary leaves of absence. Cortex, developed by Thalamus and used by about 30 percent of U.S. residency programs, employs AI primarily for grade normalization but does not officially score or rank applicants, though concerns about inaccuracies and opacity in its AI functions have been raised by applicants and some medical educators. Markey conducted extensive independent research and coding to reverse engineer potential AI biases and filed a data access request under the New Hampshire Privacy Act, but Thalamus clarified that Cortex did not use the scoring methods he suspected. The case highlights broader challenges in transparency, fairness, and regulation of AI tools in high-stakes hiring processes, contrasting them with more regulated AI-driven background check systems under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. [Extracted from the article] |
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| ISSN: | 10591028 |
