Dinners the night before interviews

[Fiend]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

How bad, if at all, is it to miss or show up late to the 'informal resident dinners' the night before interviews? Some of them are scheduled so early (like 5:30 or 6 p.m.) that I wouldn't be able to get there in time without missing part of another interview in a different city. Ideally one would want to attend to meet the residents and learn everything possible about the program, but I wanted to know if missing it or showing up late would be the kiss of death.

 

[UTSouthwestern]

Doesn't hurt you at all. We've taken candidates that completely omitted the dinner. It is your chance to pick the residents' brain about the "inside scoop" that you may or may not be comfortable talking with your interviewers about or may not have time to talk to them about.

Occasionally, a candadidate makes a very strong impression one way or the other during the dinner (had one guy last year who tried to get a jump on his career and kept gassing us both ways), but the residents hardly ever relay any negative first impressions, and are encouraged to relay strong positive first impressions to the committee.

 

[Jeff05]

Doesn't hurt you at all. We've taken candidates that completely omitted the dinner. It is your chance to pick the residents' brain about the "inside scoop" that you may or may not be comfortable talking with your interviewers about or may not have time to talk to them about.

Occasionally, a candadidate makes a very strong impression one way or the other during the dinner (had one guy last year who tried to get a jump on his career and kept gassing us both ways), but the residents hardly ever relay any negative first impressions, and are encouraged to relay strong positive first impressions to the committee.

what should an applicant wear to these dinners?

 

[Jeff05]

what should an applicant wear to these dinners?

bump

 

[UTSouthwestern]

Clothes.

Here it is "dress casual". Would avoid wearing shorts, overly casual shirts, etc. but you don't need to wear a suit or tie.

 

[gaseous]

I wore dress shirt and kaki's with no tie. That was pretty much the norm. A few places I could have easily gone jeans and a polo.