Having a cold at an interview... bad?

There is nothing you can take to make a cold go away faster, but there are plenty of OTC decongestants that will allow you to dry up for a few hours. If timed right, you can make it through the important parts of the interview day.

 

Showing up w/ a cold and congestion is fine. It’s not like you are involved in patient care that day. You may want to defer shaking hands with people. Obviously, if you are in rigors and have loss of bodily function you should attempt to reschedule. And, even though we aren’t supposed to give medical advice on these forums, try not to take something that makes you drowsy prior to your interview. I’ve seen this happen. Not pretty.

 

Eh, it happens. I have a cold right now, and plan to be hepped up on Sudafed (the real meth-making kind, not the lame-o new stuff) for the three interviews I unfortunately have this week (Wed, Thu, Fri). I plan to practice good hand hygiene and hope I don't get anyone else sick.

Feel better!

 

Vancomycin will clear that cold right up!

But seriously, I'm sure people will understand...after all, a good med student (especially on surgery) will still show up to 5AM rounds with a cold, right? Why not an interview?

But to agree with above: it might be a good idea to carry some hand sanitizer and practice good hand hygiene (shaking hands a lot at an interview), so you're not "that guy/gal who got the program director sick."

 

If you want to match to that program, show up even if you barf up a lung. Being detered by the sniffles is wimpy, plain and simple

 

agree with nickname.
Suck it up and take a decongestant and other PRN cold meds, and wash your hands a lot. Don't sneeze in the PD's face...LOL!

 

Kinda on topic... and not worthy of its own topic.

So far I've been doing the leather binder thing and avoiding a purse. But I see many other female interviewees with purses. How wrong is this, or is it not wrong at all? I ask since I'd like to be carrying a few more things than usual this week (tissues, OTC meds, cough drops, alcohol hand gel so I can sterilize myself between blowing my nose and reaching for the PD's hand ).

 

I hope your interview went well. I can totally relate cos' the night before my last interview, I had food poisoning and spent the night throwing up in the bathroom.

I don't think a cough drop in your month during the interview looks bad, especially if you tell your interviewer why.

 

I'm trying to get over a cold right now, and had a couple interviews and a few more left to go.

The last interview I was at my voice cracked. I felt like I was going through puberty once again.

 

What if you were really, really sick with the flu? would that be ok to cancel for?

 

If you are really sick you owe it to yourself (and to the people who would be exposed to you) to cancel. You can't be impressive in an interview when ill or over-tired. The residents, faculty, and coordinators you'd be interacting with don't want to get sick, nor do the other applicants you would be interviewing with. You could ask about possible alternate dates if it's a program you're very interested in. There are typically a lot of cancellations at this point in the process, so it could work out.

 

I wouldn't bank on alternate dates. Sure there are cancellations, but there are also tons of folks soliciting interviews daily, so many of those cancellations book up within an hour of becoming open.