Academy Meeting

[nacholibre]

I'm going to the academy meeting for my first time this year and while so much of what I'm seeing looks awesome, I wanted to see if ya'll had some advice on how to get the most out of the meeting as a med student?

I also wanted to ask how I could best do a bit o' networking with interview season looming ahead? Does it seem stalker-ish if I stop Welling and say "Hi I would love to come to Ohio State, so I looked up your picture and tracked you down, now talk to me"

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[DrBodacious]

I'm going to the academy meeting for my first time this year and while so much of what I'm seeing looks awesome, I wanted to see if ya'll had some advice on how to get the most out of the meeting as a med student?

I also wanted to ask how I could best do a bit o' networking with interview season looming ahead? Does it seem stalker-ish if I stop Welling and say "Hi I would love to come to Ohio State, so I looked up your picture and tracked you down, now talk to me"

Another valid question, Nacho, I'll give you me 2c.

I would go with your first instinct and try to attend as many sessions as you can. It will serve as an introduction to how the meetings work. There are quite a few people that have regular roles at the meetings talking about certain subjects, so you will get an introduction to some of the active people in ENT, also. And just listening to presentations helps with hearing how people describe things, and there are often some back and forth panels where you get differing perspectives. Having this experience will help you with the "fake it 'till you make it" agenda, if nothing else.

I would caution you against stalking faculty while there are sessions going on, or they could wonder why you aren't attending them. It is hard for me to think of something that an MS4 could legitimately side track an attending with, but I have never been to adept at "networking." Frankly, most of the attendings are fairly busy talking to other people whom they only see at meetings. In fact "stalking" faculty seems like a bad idea, altogether. I guess it might make sense if you approach someone at a program that you are 100% committed to matching at, kind of presenting it as an "all in." But, you had better be knowledgable about that program and have a legitimate reason for wanting to go there, i.e. family constraint in that location. Just know it has a chance to backfire.

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

Your best bet is for an attending at your home program to introduce you to a friend or something along those lines. Independently seeking out attendings at programs seems like overkill to me. Can't emphasize enough how normal you want to be. Read the thread about doing an audition rotation. No one wants to be stuck with an over zealous psycho for five years.

 

[DrBodacious]

Your best bet is for an attending at your home program to introduce you to a friend or something along those lines. Independently seeking out attendings at programs seems like overkill to me. Can't emphasize enough how normal you want to be. Read the thread about doing an audition rotation. No one wants to be stuck with an over zealous psycho for five years.

Agree ^. If someone has your back this seems like a great idea. It can be seen as a pretty big favor to make a personal introduction, though, depending on the specific people you are dealing with. And, if the home attending has a "blah" impression of you, this is a great way to communicate that to the program you are interested in.

 

[thinkorswim]

I would just avoid trying to "network" with attendings altogether -- you really have nothing to gain and everything to lose by coming off as aggressive/awkward/arrogant. A simple introduction through an attending you know is neither going to help you or hurt you at getting an interview at a program. You likely won't be remembered among hundreds of other applications. But a negative impression will tank your application at that program immediately.

Just attend the sessions you're interested in, stand by your poster to answer questions, and hang out with the other medical students and residents you know.

 

[StillChoosing]

I would just avoid trying to "network" with attendings altogether -- you really have nothing to gain and everything to lose by coming off as aggressive/awkward/arrogant. A simple introduction through an attending you know is neither going to help you or hurt you at getting an interview at a program. You likely won't be remembered among hundreds of other applications. But a negative impression will tank your application at that program immediately.

Just attend the sessions you're interested in, stand by your poster to answer questions, and hang out with the other medical students and residents you know.

 

[neutropeniaboy]

I'm going to offer a different perspective. If a student came up to me after a lecture, introduced himself, said "great talk" and said he was really interested in my program and was really looking forward to interviewing, I'd see that person as a go getter. Much more than that and I would start swatting at the student...

I would only do this at perhaps your first choice. Doing too much of this cheapens your statement.

 

[koojo]

I'm going to the academy meeting for my first time this year and while so much of what I'm seeing looks awesome, I wanted to see if ya'll had some advice on how to get the most out of the meeting as a med student?

I also wanted to ask how I could best do a bit o' networking with interview season looming ahead? Does it seem stalker-ish if I stop Welling and say "Hi I would love to come to Ohio State, so I looked up your picture and tracked you down, now talk to me"

I went to the academy annual meeting as a 4th year student..well, actually I hadn't started 4th year yet, it was right before. I tried to introduce myself to most of the PD at sites I was already scheduled at, and to let them know I was looking forward to working with them on my rotations. I would typically find them in between lectures. Overall, I had a good time and I would do it again if I had to. Just try to be friendly to everyone, and talk with as many people as you can...you never know who knows who.

 

[Fah-Q]

Does it seem stalker-ish if I stop Welling and say "Hi I would love to come to Ohio State, so I looked up your picture and tracked you down, now talk to me"

Not at all. You should offer to buy Welling a beer.

 

[neutropeniaboy]

Not at all. You should offer to buy Welling a beer.

Heh.