Meet and Greet Dinners

[OlderMDAlmost]

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Meet and Greet Dinners
How important are they?

My attending has been gracious to permit time/day off toattend residency interviews.
Due to distance, I will be flying out after the daysrotation and arriving at about 10:00 p.m.; the last flight out is at 7:30 p.m. on thefollowing evening. This allows me to return to the clinical rotationwhile only missing one day. However, it does not permit time to attendthe “Meet and Greet” dinner.

Will this impact significantly on placement for theMatch?

 

[InterviewSEASON]

A little side-note: While you need to be polite and ask permission to miss a day to go on your interviews, your attendings have been through this before and shouldn't really have a problem letting you go. When I was going through this, missing about three days per rotation was the max before you started running into problems. I know it can be uncomfortable asking for days off to go on interviews, but you have to do it, they know you have to do it, so just be polite and ask.

You do need to show that you are doing everything you can to miss as few days as possible on your rotation. I made up for some missed days by working weekends, and once I went from the hospital, to the airport, spent the night in a hotel, went to the interview the next day, then flew back and went straight to the hospital to take call.

Back to your question:

As far as the pre-interview dinners go, you really should go, but it's not required. There may be a few exceptions to that in the really competitive fields/programs.

I went to every one that I could, but missed a few due to scheduling issues. People understand that. If it's a program that you are particularly interested in, I would really make a strong effort to go. But if you can't make it, you can't make it. The dinners are good for meeting the residents, getting a different perspective on the program, and meeting your co-applicants. Programs kind of expect you to go, but I really think they'll understand if you just can't make it. If they don't, it's probably a reflection on them.

During the interview day people may ask you if you were at the dinner the night before, and I think it's perfectly acceptable to say "I had to work yesterday and wasn't able to leave Washington until late last night," or whatever. That is something that most physicians will understand.

Missing a dinner because you want to a movie or something instead probably won't go over so well (for good reason).

Hope that helps. Congrats on the interview invite. Trying to work in the pre-interview dinner is a nice problem to have.

 

[mlw03]

I agree with the above advice. I think it's important. Your "interview" is the entire experience in that city, for both you and the program. Getting to chat with the residents is important, again for both you and the program. For a program you really are thinking could be top 5, I suggest making all efforts to attend.

 

[wannabeOBGYN]

What is the general dress code for these meet and greet dinners? Some don't mention anything about clothing and others say casual. I assume casual does not mean jeans, but beyond that is there anything in particular to avoid? I want to be comfortable but I don't want to show up feeling completely over- or underdressed.

 

[Savannah]

What is the general dress code for these meet and greet dinners? Some don't mention anything about clothing and others say casual. I assume casual does not mean jeans, but beyond that is there anything in particular to avoid? I want to be comfortable but I don't want to show up feeling completely over- or underdressed.

I have looked this up before on SDN. Most people said they wore ward-type dress with dress pants and sweaters. They also suggested calling and asking the secretary, who tended to know what was appropriate for that particular program.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You could also volunteer to work one of your "days off" on the weekend to make up one you missed, if it's an inpatient rotation or if the clinic is open weekends.

 

[shantster]

On the topic, if they don't mention anything in the interview invite or confirmation, should we assume that there is nothing the night before? I would hate to book a flight now and then find out that they are having an event at a time that I cannot alter my travel plans.

 

[mcl]

On the topic, if they don't mention anything in the interview invite or confirmation, should we assume that there is nothing the night before? I would hate to book a flight now and then find out that they are having an event at a time that I cannot alter my travel plans.

It might be worth a call or email to the coordinator just to be sure.

 

[gutonc]

It might be worth a call or email to the coordinator just to be sure.

^This.

"Dear PC, I'm getting ready to book my travel to my interview at your institution and wanted to find out if there was a pre- or post-interview dinner with the house staff before making my plans as I want to make sure I can attend. Thanks, shantster."

 

[Law2Doc]

Meet and Greet Dinners
How important are they?

My attending has been gracious to permit time/day off toattend residency interviews.
Due to distance, I will be flying out after the daysrotation and arriving at about 10:00 p.m.; the last flight out is at 7:30 p.m. on thefollowing evening. This allows me to return to the clinical rotationwhile only missing one day. However, it does not permit time to attendthe “Meet and Greet” dinner.

Will this impact significantly on placement for theMatch?

At some places this dinner will be hugely important, because the residents do, in fact, get a vote on you. Not showing up means you lost an important opportunity to sell yourself to the very group that's going to be working with you. Basically means you give n edge to anyone who shows up that the residents feel strongly positive about. Should also be important to you too, as these are going to be your buddies in the trenches for 3+ years.

 

[Ishie1013]

What is the general dress code for these meet and greet dinners? Some don't mention anything about clothing and others say casual. I assume casual does not mean jeans, but beyond that is there anything in particular to avoid? I want to be comfortable but I don't want to show up feeling completely over- or underdressed.

I found it helpful to google the restaurant where they're going and do a half step above the level of the facility (tourist shorts casual can be upgraded to dress jeans and a nice top, etc). One of the programs was a chicken wings style bar food thing and many of the others were in nice places where dressy clothes were appropriate, so it was nice to somewhat fit in. It made me feel much more comfortable.

 

[gutonc]

I found it helpful to google the restaurant where they're going and do a half step above the level of the facility (tourist shorts casual can be upgraded to dress jeans and a nice top, etc). One of the programs was a chicken wings style bar food thing and many of the others were in nice places where dressy clothes were appropriate, so it was nice to somewhat fit in. It made me feel much more comfortable.

This is probably the best advice yet. Yelp the place and see what it says about atmosphere/dress and then overdress slightly.

 

[mlw03]

also remember most residents will not dress up for these things. we don't like dressing up any more than you, and well, we don't have to. agree with the advice about checking out the restaurant and then going a tiny bit above what's expected that for that place. i personally think it's almost as bad to be overdressed as underdressed. a really fancy outfit at a sports bar looks out of place.

 

[gutonc]

also remember most residents will not dress up for these things. we don't like dressing up any more than you, and well, we don't have to. agree with the advice about checking out the restaurant and then going a tiny bit above what's expected that for that place. i personally think it's almost as bad to be overdressed as underdressed. a really fancy outfit at a sports bar looks out of place.

But it's much easier to dress something fancy down (take off a tie, remove pantyhose, etc) than it is to dress something super casual up.

 

[givesmegas]

Is it acceptable/not a faux pas to just wear your suit pants and a button down shirts for these dinners? Thus, saving us the hassle of having to bring an extra/different pair of pants, especially for us guys flying around. I guess there's always the possibility of spilling something on them and then being screwed for the next day....

 

[mlw03]

Probably won't be noticed. That said, I wouldn't do it. Suit pants alone just don't look quite right to me.