Odd question, but should "Stand-Up Comedy" make it on my application?

[CDevil]

One of my few outside interests has been dabbling in stand-up comedy over the past year. Nothing even remotely impressive, just doing a couple open-mic nights because it looked like fun.

Prior to deciding on Rad Onc, I was leaning towards applying to Urology. Uro tends to have a pretty good sense of humor, so I was planning on listing that on my ERAS under Interests/Hobbies. However, radiation oncology seems like a much more serious discipline - should I leave this out of my application? I don't want to appear unprofessional.

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[Gfunk6]

I would definitely include it under Interests/Hobbies. It is unique and few people have the wits and cajones to do stand-up. However, I'd be prepared for the old "tell me a joke" line from interviewers.

 

[radiaterMike]

I would be a bit cautious about adding this, solely because from your description it sounds like it really is not a hobby/interest, but rather something you only did a couple of times. Gfunk is spot on about having unique and intersting things on your application, but you don't want to be in a situation where the interviewer thinks you are trying to make yourself look more interesting by lisiting every experience you had.

I would definitely include it under Interests/Hobbies. It is unique and few people have the wits and cajones to do stand-up. However, I'd be prepared for the old "tell me a joke" line from interviewers.

 

[deleted4401]

Gosh, every applicant looked the same. When I was a chief and interviewing, I skipped everything on the application and just asked about hobbies and outside interests. I think it's good to have interesting things listed so we don't have to talk about your lame retrospective chart review that indicates that the 68 Gy dose to 13% of the rectum also predicts for GI toxicity.

 

[Neuronix]

I'm an overachiever/PPD with hobbies, but felt like nobody really cared about my other interests anyway. Shrug. YMMV.

 

[ramsesthenice]

So each year it seems like someone stands out for doing something unique. Last year we had the world tater tot eating champ on the trail and that came up in his interviews a lot. A few years back there was a guy who could rip a phone book in half and that came up a lot and he was asked to demonstrate it more than once (they both matched at top 10 programs). I mentioned that I grow corals and people asked about that on every interveiw I had. I would go for it if I were you if you really enjoy it and can talk enthusiastically about it.

 

[deleted4401]

And at your audition rotations, instead of giving a presentation, you should do a 15 minute set. That would be awesome.

 

[CDevil]

And at your audition rotations, instead of giving a presentation, you should do a 15 minute set. That would be awesome.

Holy crap you just gave me palpitations. That's honestly something that worries me a bit, that they'll ask me to tell a joke or expect me to be funny. When you bomb at open mic, it's not like you're really disappointing anyone. But if I did it at a residency interview? Yikes. Plus I'm not sure how much of my material is appropriate...

And it seems like the consensus is that it could help, but someone near the top did mention that it might seem desperate if I've only done it a handful of times (which I have). Just to clarify, I am in no way a stand-up comedian. I've never done anything but open mics, for like 3-5 minutes at a time. My thread title was probably a bit misleading. But as far as "hobbies and interests" go, I don't feel like I'm "falsifying."

 

[Sheldor]

Holy crap you just gave me palpitations. That's honestly something that worries me a bit, that they'll ask me to tell a joke or expect me to be funny. When you bomb at open mic, it's not like you're really disappointing anyone. But if I did it at a residency interview? Yikes. Plus I'm not sure how much of my material is appropriate...

And it seems like the consensus is that it could help, but someone near the top did mention that it might seem desperate if I've only done it a handful of times (which I have). Just to clarify, I am in no way a stand-up comedian. I've never done anything but open mics, for like 3-5 minutes at a time. My thread title was probably a bit misleading. But as far as "hobbies and interests" go, I don't feel like I'm "falsifying."

I didn't have that in my interest section, and I was asked to tell a joke at least three times

 

[Gfunk6]

I didn't have that in my interest section, and I was asked to tell a joke at least three times

Did you hear? The Pope gave up Catholicism for Lent.

 

[RadSki]

Did you hear about the guy that requested a 2 finger DRE? He wanted a second opinion.

 

[ramsesthenice]

Can anyone else believe Whitney Houston has been sober a full year?