Importance of pre-interview dinner?

[mossyfiber12]

I have invitation from two program from the same city. I am interested in both programs at this moment. Problem is that if I want to save money and do the interviews in one trip then I will have to skip the pre interview dinner for one.

Any suggestions? Since I am interested in both should I just suck it up visit the city twice so I can make it to the dinner?

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[mcl]

I have invitation from two program from the same city. I am interested in both programs at this moment. Problem is that if I want to save money and do the interviews in one trip then I will have to skip the pre interview dinner for one.

Any suggestions? Since I am interested in both should I just suck it up visit the city twice so I can make it to the dinner?

The dinners are very important, but not absolutely crucial. If you don't go, you'll need to find a way to get past the reality that the residents won't know you as well as they know the applicants who attended the social function. Go out of your way to connect with at least one or two residents on some level and send them some follow up emails. Be as friendly, engaged, and energetic as possible during the interview day to make a strongly positive impression on the interviewers. The combination of high interview scores and a couple of residents who can vouch for you would probably overcome missing the dinner.

 

[Law2Doc]

The dinners are very important, but not absolutely crucial...

Folks and programs always say that, but honestly at places where residents get a vote the folks who come across well at the pre-interview dinners inevitably get ranked higher than those of equal quality who couldn't make it. Doesn't mean you won't still get in, but it might be dependent on where those ranked ahead of you choose to go. So yeah, it matters and I personally would do whatever I could to attend at places higher on my list.

 

[tiburones]

On a somewhat related note, how appropriate is it these days to bring your significant other to the applicant dinner or cocktail party (one of my program invites specifically calls it that)?

I did a search for this and the last thread on the topic is 3 years old so I wasn't sure if the trend has since changed? All of the invitations specifically invite the significant other, so you would think they actually want them to come - perhaps to give a more well rounded picture of you and your relationships? Background info: I'm applying in psych and the sig other is a 3+ year relationship with whom I live.

 

[mcl]

On a somewhat related note, how appropriate is it these days to bring your significant other to the applicant dinner or cocktail party (one of my program invites specifically calls it that)?

I did a search for this and the last thread on the topic is 3 years old so I wasn't sure if the trend has since changed? All of the invitations specifically invite the significant other, so you would think they actually want them to come - perhaps to give a more well rounded picture of you and your relationships? Background info: I'm applying in psych and the sig other is a 3+ year relationship with whom I live.

I think mileage varies from program to program, but if your invitation specifically includes a guest, you are generally pretty safe in bringing one.

 

[Law2Doc]

On a somewhat related note, how appropriate is it these days to bring your significant other to the applicant dinner or cocktail party (one of my program invites specifically calls it that)?

I did a search for this and the last thread on the topic is 3 years old so I wasn't sure if the trend has since changed? All of the invitations specifically invite the significant other, so you would think they actually want them to come - perhaps to give a more well rounded picture of you and your relationships? Background info: I'm applying in psych and the sig other is a 3+ year relationship with whom I live.

There isn't anything wrong with bringing them, but with a big caveat. They will sometimes be a reflection on you, and can sometimes outshine you. I've been to too many of these dinners where the end result was that the residents said (in jest, but not so much), that they wished they could rank the spouse of the applicant rather than the applicant. I have to believe the applicant would have fared better had he gone it alone. On the flip side if your SO is, in the eyes of the residents, boring or a downer, you will share the taint. It's hard enough to do these events when you can control what gets aired and how you are presented. Now there are some good tagteam salesmen out there, but it's not really an accident that most choose to work alone. Just my two cents from having been on both sides of these events. So yes, they are invited, but not always advisable.

 

[tiburones]

There isn't anything wrong with bringing them, but with a big caveat. They will sometimes be a reflection on you, and can sometimes outshine you. I've been to too many of these dinners where the end result was that the residents said (in jest, but not so much), that they wished they could rank the spouse of the applicant rather than the applicant. I have to believe the applicant would have fared better had he gone it alone. On the flip side if your SO is, in the eyes of the residents, boring or a downer, you will share the taint. It's hard enough to do these events when you can control what gets aired and how you are presented. Now there are some good tagteam salesmen out there, but it's not really an accident that most choose to work alone. Just my two cents from having been on both sides of these events. So yes, they are invited, but not always advisable.

Well you certainly sound like a lawyer, that's for sure. How does one know if this is advisable? In talking about it to my boyfriend, his response was "Oh so I'll get to talk you up eh?" with a big smile on his face. He's proud of me for making it this far (I have overcome a lot of obstacles in my life) and supportive of my residency pursuits. Somehow I don't think he's going to "outshine" me, especially since he's not in medicine at all. I don't mean to sound ungrateful for your response, it simply didn't bode well with me.

 

[gutonc]

Well you certainly sound like a lawyer, that's for sure. How does one know if this is advisable? In talking about it to my boyfriend, his response was "Oh so I'll get to talk you up eh?" with a big smile on his face. He's proud of me for making it this far (I have overcome a lot of obstacles in my life) and supportive of my residency pursuits. Somehow I don't think he's going to "outshine" me, especially since he's not in medicine at all. I don't mean to sound ungrateful for your response, it simply didn't bode well with me.

I took my wife with me on all of my interview trips and she came to all of the dinners. She's a much more interesting person than I am (in terms of what she has done with her life) but I can hold my own and am generally more interesting than everybody else I had to talk to in these settings. But most importantly, she knew that, although she was there to do recon for herself, the dinner was about me...and she made me look good.

L2D has posted this same warning in virtually every "interview dinner" thread over the past few years. Clearly he had some issues with it. Hopefully you won't.

 

[Law2Doc]

...

L2D has posted this same warning in virtually every "interview dinner" thread over the past few years. Clearly he had some issues with it. Hopefully you won't.

I just call it like I see it, and I've seen it work out badly for a number of people the past couple of years. I don't think that equates to "having issues with it", it's just my advice from the trenches. Take it or leave it.

 

[DrBowtie]

I have invitation from two program from the same city. I am interested in both programs at this moment. Problem is that if I want to save money and do the interviews in one trip then I will have to skip the pre interview dinner for one.

Any suggestions? Since I am interested in both should I just suck it up visit the city twice so I can make it to the dinner?

What time does the 1st interview day end? What time is the dinner?
Most of the invites that I have gotten have dinner around 6 pm, but the latest for any interview I have is like 3 pm.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

What time does the 1st interview day end? What time is the dinner?
Most of the invites that I have gotten have dinner around 6 pm, but the latest for any interview I have is like 3 pm.

You should check to see if the dinner is the night beforehand, or the night of the interview. If it's the same day, there should be a break so you can change clothes and arrive on time.

 

[DrBowtie]

You should check to see if the dinner is the night beforehand, or the night of the interview. If it's the same day, there should be a break so you can change clothes and arrive on time.

Wow some places have the dinner after the interview? None of my interviews are set up that way. Seems totally backwards as the dinner has provided many of my questions for the faculty interviews.

 

[turkeyjerky]

Wow some places have the dinner after the interview? None of my interviews are set up that way. Seems totally backwards as the dinner has provided many of my questions for the faculty interviews.

I have one set up that way--it's a bummer, and I'm trying to decide whether the dinner is worth staying an extra night and delaying my flight home.

 

[PMPMD]

I have one set up that way--it's a bummer, and I'm trying to decide whether the dinner is worth staying an extra night and delaying my flight home.

Our program used to do lunch after Saturday AM interviews. Our nationale was that more residents showed up this way. Also, we thought the applcants would be more comfortable since they finished their interviews there was a tour and info session the night before. Now we do Friday night dinners.

 

[mlw03]

Wow some places have the dinner after the interview? None of my interviews are set up that way. Seems totally backwards as the dinner has provided many of my questions for the faculty interviews.

I had one like this. It was fine, and while folks were a bit more casual, remember you're definitely still being evaluated by the residents. So while I had a beer (cuz I was in Wisconsin and was in the mood for a nice cold one), I stopped at one. The after-interview meal was mainly social, but was a good experience. I loved the program, and only didn't rank them highly because of personal issues with that particular city.

 

[4success]

so there's an optional drink/ appetizer with residents for one of my interviews that's offered twice a month till january. I am wondering 1. if it's worth going, 2. if I should go to one ~month before my interview since i'll be in town randomly then, or 3. do it 3 days after my interview, but on the same day as another interview in the morning.

any advice?

 

[mlw03]

so there's an optional drink/ appetizer with residents for one of my interviews that's offered twice a month till january. I am wondering 1. if it's worth going, 2. if I should go to one ~month before my interview since i'll be in town randomly then, or 3. do it 3 days after my interview, but on the same day as another interview in the morning.

any advice?

if you're interested in the program (say, top 5 of your RoL), yeah, worth going. i'd do the one 3 days after. a month before just seems weird.

 

[belle54321]

I had one like this. It was fine, and while folks were a bit more casual, remember you're definitely still being evaluated by the residents. So while I had a beer (cuz I was in Wisconsin and was in the mood for a nice cold one), I stopped at one. The after-interview meal was mainly social, but was a good experience. I loved the program, and only didn't rank them highly because of personal issues with that particular city.

I have a dinner after an interview day in NYC. Am I wrong to assume that I can just show up in my interview suit?

 

[Law2Doc]

I have a dinner after an interview day in NYC. Am I wrong to assume that I can just show up in my interview suit?

You can always show up overdressed, that's fine.

 

[PMPMD]

I have a dinner after an interview day in NYC. Am I wrong to assume that I can just show up in my interview suit?

The good thing about this is, if everyone's casual, you can ditch the tie and coat. Always better to go from dressy to casual than vice versa.