Do you really need to network in medical school?

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How important is it to "network" while in medical school? Should you be going to meetings, joining interest groups and the like? Or is it more about Step 1 scores when it comes down to landing the residency you want?

I'd say networking is nice, but at the end of the day it's your merit that will get you a residency. After THAT, I'd say networking is significantly more important (can't speak from personal experience, however.)

One thing I will say about MS1/MS2 networking is that if you get to know the attendings that frequent your school's interest group(s), you may have a leg-up on getting research opportunities, assuming these attendings do some form of clinical research that they could viably involve you in.

Any current residents/attendings that frequent this forum able to give us some insight on post-residency networking, especially in the smaller, more restricted fields? Is it more important to network in Rad Onc rather than in IM?

Sorry to hi-jack your thread, but it's a related question and something that I hope will help.

I think networking helps to open up opportunities. For example I met with one physician about research opportunities and he introduced me to a researcher who a year later become my mentor for a year-long research fellowship. There was also a day when I was visiting another physician in her office and she suggested that I apply to another research program/sub-I. I wouldn´t have known about it if I didnt talk to her.

I think going to the interest group meetings can help to introduce you to some phyisicians you might want to get to know better and to upper classmen who can help guide you.

Originally Posted by Miss Alyssa

I think networking helps to open up opportunities. For example I met with one physician about research opportunities and he introduced me to a researcher who a year later become my mentor for a year-long research fellowship. There was also a day when I was visiting another physician in her office and she suggested that I apply to another research program/sub-I. I wouldn´t have known about it if I didnt talk to her.

I think going to the interest group meetings can help to introduce you to some phyisicians you might want to get to know better and to upper classmen who can help guide you.

I got my current job when I networked with my previous boss at parties and other unofficial events during my last year of being a student; he recommended me and the day I showed up to request a job at his boss the guy was ecstatic that I showed up and offered me a job that very day. I hadn't even graduated yet and landed a jackpot. I was also very efficient at my previous job and never had patients issue complaints about my work which didn't hurt either.

I never joined student meetings or other events because I wasn't interested enough.. plus traffic during rush hour is death. I valued sleeping and eating a bit more than mingling with people I was probably never going to see again. Still if you like to hang around your classmates and find the meetings fun, why not?

F*&)(& networking. You are not getting an MBA!!!

Just study hard and do well on your boards...

no i disagree. network the **** out of everything.

Originally Posted by monkeyMD

How important is it to "network" while in medical school? Should you be going to meetings, joining interest groups and the like? Or is it more about Step 1 scores when it comes down to landing the residency you want?

In most cases, networking with classmates will at most result in nice friendships. Networking with attendings in the field you are hoping to enter can lead to mentors and sometimes folks who will pick up the phone and put in a good word for you down the line. Step 1 is always going to be the biggest component of landing a residency, but as between folks with competitive scores, things like networking loom large.

I would say half of my residency interviewers asked, "Oh, how is Dr. ABC doing (surgeon at school)?" or "What will Dr. XYZ say about you when I call him?"

This is probably less important to negligable in large or less competitive fields/programs, but if you are going for a competitive field (which tend to be smaller) or aiming for top top in residency, you need to network.

This is in addition to good board scores, clerkship grades etc of course. But anyone who says networking isn't important has never really spent time functioning as a professional.

Knowing someone big > merits.

Way of the world, even in medicine.

Originally Posted by Wordead

Knowing someone big > merits.

Way of the world, even in medicine.

This. For many things, it is all about your connections.

Originally Posted by monkeyMD

How important is it to "network" while in medical school? Should you be going to meetings, joining interest groups and the like? Or is it more about Step 1 scores when it comes down to landing the residency you want?

If plan on going into IM, peds, or FP at an average program networking is not important.

Originally Posted by thegame11

F*&)(& networking. You are not getting an MBA!!!

Just study hard and do well on your boards...

Of course this isn't MBA-networking where it's your full-time job. For those of you who have not held a professional job before, networking is always an advantage, especially for highly desirable or coveted positions. Networking will not fix a poor Step 1 score, but it can get you extra advantage if you are as qualified as a bunch of other applicants and someone the PD trusts vouches for you.

I think the importance of networking varies depending on your interest. For example, it's not quite as important for peds or IM as it is for ortho or neurosurg. With that being said, I think it's a good habit to get into though regardless of your interest because if you want to do a fellowship that is essentially all networking. Also if you are interested in staying at your home institution knowing the right people (i.e. the program director) will help.

Originally Posted by Wordead

Knowing someone big > merits.

Way of the world, even in medicine.

Lol

Networking won't help if you are incompetent, but competence won't help if you can't network.

Originally Posted by Dr Love

Networking won't help if you are incompetent, but competence won't help if you can't network.

I disagree. Most residencies are gotten based on scores, not on networking. After residency, networking becomes important. Approx 50% or greater ppl match into places they never rotated in/networked.

Networking can definitely help, especially in smaller fields (i.e. RadOnc, Derm, etc), however it isn't everything.

Originally Posted by Oxer45

I disagree. Most residencies are gotten based on scores, not on networking. After residency, networking becomes important. Approx 50% or greater ppl match into places they never rotated in/networked.

You might be right, I am thinking about competitive residencies or non-competitive residencies at competitive places. I also use the word networking loosely, I don't consider it necessary to do an away rotation to have useful connections at a particular institution.

Any advice on how to go about networking with attendings? I've always been a bit of an introvert.