Expenses paid during interview?

[oudoc08]

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So, all but one of my interview sites EW paying for a nice hotel. Most are having a nice dinner with the residents or faculty. One is even paying for airfare and other travel expenses.

However, one site isn't paying for squat. (No name, PM me if you're curious, it's a well known program) Didn't provide a hotel (just a list of hotels with their "discount rate", all of which are still expensive), a map to the airport, and a statement that they don't provide meals out of "respect" for interviewee's time. Didn't even offer to provide parking, just pointed the way to the least expensive (and more out of the way) spot.
I'm tempted (and probably will) cancel the interview, out of the sour taste this leaves compared to the gracious welcome of almost all other sites. It's just a very stand-offish way to begin a professional relationship. Sounds petty in the grand scheme of things, but I figure if this is how they treat their potential new recruits, does it reflect on how the administration treats the residents? I don't ask a place to suck up or go beyond, but at least keep up with the Jones'.

In fairness, I applied to less than 20 places, and have only 10 interviews, some of which I've already cancelled, so I don't have much insight on the rest of the country.

Any thoughts? Is this commonplace?

 

[IceDoc]

It's market forces, plain and simple. The cheapskate program you mentioned thinks that they can fill their program without paying for recruitment. They may be wrong, but it's completely within their right to do so.

Back in the 90's when there was a dearth of applicants into anesthesiolgy, programs started paying for airfare, hotel, everything else... Over the past few years as applicants are more plentiful, programs have scaled back those offerings. Again, it's totally within their rights.

And IMHO, F 'em. They've demonstrated that either 1) they don't take care of their residents or 2) they are in a financial crunch. So, if you are comfortable with your other options, then say thanks, but no thanks. Just be sure to weigh the risk of not matching.

 

[oudoc08]

It's market forces, plain and simple. The cheapskate program you mentioned thinks that they can fill their program without paying for recruitment. They may be wrong, but it's completely within their right to do so.

Back in the 90's when there was a dearth of applicants into anesthesiolgy, programs started paying for airfare, hotel, everything else... Over the past few years as applicants are more plentiful, programs have scaled back those offerings. Again, it's totally within their rights.

And IMHO, F 'em. They've demonstrated that either 1) they don't take care of their residents or 2) they are in a financial crunch. So, if you are comfortable with your other options, then say thanks, but no thanks. Just be sure to weigh the risk of not matching.

I'm not worried about matching , and thankfully this program (albeit a prestigious one) wouldn't be in my top 5 due primarily to location. I just thought it would be neat to see how a variety of programs do things.

The part I can't figure is, that the other programs I applied to surely won't have any problem filling their slots (Vanderbilt is one example), and yet they're as accomodating and as friendly as can be.

 

[Mman]

My program paid for my hotel, transportation (to and from airport and to and from hospital), and a nice dinner the night before. It is my understanding, however, that they are contemplating cutting back a bit on the expenditures for interviewees in the future simply because there is no longer a need to wine and dine to get great residents. As of this year, though, nothing has changed.

I think that more and more programs might be leaning in that direction over the next few years.

 

[anestheticman]

I'm confused, do you need to ask about airfare coverage and/or hotel coverage? So far, I think only 1-3 of the programs I have interviews with are paying for a hotel (none airfare) and none are paying for anything else besides food. Am I missing something?

 

[lane]

I'm confused, do you need to ask about airfare coverage and/or hotel coverage? So far, I think only 1-3 of the programs I have interviews with are paying for a hotel (none airfare) and none are paying for anything else besides food. Am I missing something?

kentucky reimburses up to $300 for travel and they pay for hotel, but everything was laid out in the invitation e-mail.

 

[anestheticman]

I think its just the programs I applied to... yeah, so far only a few hotels and dinners etc. but nothing else. Many with no dinner or hotel.

 

[BenzBen]

I am mainly applying to NY and CA schools. I've only had one offered to pay for the hotel, several dinners. Everything else is on my dime.

Where are these programs that are paying for flights and hotels? Sounds like a good vacation. =)

 

[oudoc08]

kentucky reimburses up to $300 for travel and they pay for hotel, but everything was laid out in the invitation e-mail.

yeah. this is the only program I found that reimburses for travel expenses but all the others cover a hotel.

At the very least, most seemed to be concerned about how to save me money. (i.e. recommending a free airport or hotel shuttle, what airport to fly into for the most economical and most convenient time).

I'm guesing that since anesthesia has always been on a roller coaster as far a competitiveness goes, that most of the programs choose to stay consistent.

Who knows, with the politics and mid-level issues, the specialty could become less competitive in the future, and most programs wouldn't want to be stuck out in the cold because they were behind the game.

 

[oudoc08]

Ok, well I just cancelled the interview in question with Baylor.
Sweet.

 

[jennyboo]

In my experience, zero programs in Manhattan and only one program in Boston footed the bill for a hotel room, although they all paid for a dinner the night before the interview.

Some programs choose not to pay for hotel even though they probably could afford it if they tried, and some don't have the money. I'm guessing that if other programs nearby don't pay for your hotel, these programs don't feel obligated to either and it seems to be a regional thing. Hotels in both of the abovementioned cities I visited during residency interviews also tend to be prohibitively expensive.

Unfortunately you can't change whether they'll pay for your hotel, and you can only decide whether it's worthwhile to pay your own way to interview with them. I wouldn't be too offended, as there are some great programs that don't foot the bill for your hotel room that you might actually want to work at.

 

[oudoc08]

The regional issue is interesting, though every program in Texas that I applied to, as well as the other programs in the region from NM to Iowa to OU, to Kentucky, Vandy, etc. all cover a hotel the night before the interview in addition to a nice dinner to get to know the residents, ask questions, etc. I certainly don't consider that to be a "waste of our time". Regardless, it is a bit glaring to be the hold-out in the region.

Also, I when going back over the information I received via snail mail from each program, I realized that this particular program sent me a small stapled stack of paper which was a black and white photocopy of their brochure. WTF? That's how you attract quality applicants? What if I sent a poorly photocopied CV via the USPS to programs? No matter how good of an applicant I was, it wouldn't go over well.

Strange. But I cancelled none the less. If that's how the administration sells itself to potential residents, I can't help but wonder if it reflects the professional relationship that might be encountered during residency.
I want to spend 4 years at an institution where faculty and residents work well together and each respects the input of the other. Not a big-box superhospital that only regards potential residents as more worker ants for the anthill.

 

[Tenesma]

you have to figure that those programs that are desperate for residents will do more to woo you - and that those programs that aren't desperate for good-quality residents don't see the benefit of spending money like that

when i did my interviews a while back - everything got paid/reimbursed by most programs except for the most elite institutions (and those still at least paid for dinner)

the concern about not offering dinner brings up another issue - are they trying to hide issues w/ their residents ... any program that limits access to residents should raise questions.

 

[Coastie]

I've heard rumors for over a year now that Baylor Gas is in huge trouble.

UKansas-Wichita offered $150 for travel last year, I believe.

Ok, well I just cancelled the interview in question with Baylor.
Sweet.

 

[BenzBen]

Well, I just realized that both UCLA and UCSF (both top programs) are offering hotels for the night before. Quite generous of them considering they don't need to woo students and they are both state programs.

I guess it is just hit or miss with programs, but if a program needs to woo students they'll be more likely to offer such perks.

 

[DrMunkey]

I've heard rumors for over a year now that Baylor Gas is in huge trouble.

In what ways?

 

[noc2rnal]

In what ways?

i heard that the department is having serious financial diffculties which would explain why they don't pay for recruitment. also, a resident from texas told me when he interviewed there 2 residents advised him to go elsewhere because there was going to be several changes made at key faculty positions, in addition to the finanical insecurity.