How important is being on time for pre-interview dinners?

[johndoe3344]

The reason I'm asking:

I'm scheduled for an interview day at one place, which, according to their email, ends in the early afternoon. I had to schedule another interview the day after, which put the second place's pre-interview dinner at the evening of the day of the first interview.

Google maps says that there is a 0.5 to 1 hour buffer depending on how fast I drive, from A to B. To me, it still seems a little risky.

Should I just say that I'm unable to go to avoid showing up late, or is the environment one that nobody really cares if you're a few minutes late?

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[limited]

I have a question too. How important is pre-interview dinner at all?

 

[jdh71]

The pre-interview dinner isn't for the program, it for you clowns. Residents have to take time out of their busy schedules to meet you. It's fine because most of the time we like meeting you and it's a free meal usually at a deece food spot and you can usually get a beer or two out of it, though I don't suggest candidates drink more than one. Is it important to us that you show up? Not really but it's your chance to see what kind of jokers the program recruits and if you like them - are your kind of people. Ya dig?

As for showing up late. I'd say a little late is fine as in: "my flight just got in" or "I had trouble finding the place" is fine, no harm, no foul, but if you roll in like a boss an hour and half after it begins it's a little disrespectful of people's time I think and if you're going to be that late just skip it I think.