MD & DO Poll - Conferences: Any benefit to M1 attendance W/O presentation?

[Darrow O'Lykos]

Hey y'all,

There is an annual meeting for a highly competitive surgical field (that I keep thinking I might be interested in) scheduled this Spring during a week that wouldn't displace my M1 schedule too much (minimal in-person activities that week, next exam wouldn't be until the following Friday). Registration is free for students, however I'd have to cover airfare and lodging. I worked professionally in clinical research prior to school and attended an annual neurology conference for work (and presented a poster each year), but I am unfamiliar with surgical conferences, much less the opinion of what benefit students obtain attending conferences if they are not themselves presenting anything.

What are some of your thoughts on this? And for context, I am tentatively scheduled to work on a research project in the field with a PhD at my school this summer, and if I fall in love with it, I'd likely look to present at this conference next year in 2023/submit abstracts to related journals.

(This is all assuming that the conference doesn't go virtual due to COVID, although right now the in-person component is still a go).

Thanks in advance!

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[GoSpursGo]

You need to talk to your mentor about this.

In general just showing up isn’t going to help you much. You need someone to introduce you in order to make connections

 

[0ncogene]

If the conference is in your neighborhood, then go. Probably not worth it if you have to pay for airfare and lodging like you mentioned.

 

[calivianya]

Vacation is a fine reason to go, honestly.

I went to a conference in a nice location during M1 and M2 (same conference) and it was fantastic to get a break from school, meet new people, try new restaurants, walk on the beach, etc and just quit studying for a couple of days. I came back feeling refreshed with my mental batteries charged and ready to go.

Didn’t end up applying for residency in the field the conference was in, but I would 100% make the same decision and go both years again if I could do it over. I don’t think it’s necessarily going to benefit you professionally to go.

 

[ortnakas]

This. Go for a vacation where you will learn some things. Don’t expect serious networking as an MS1.

 

[Darrow O'Lykos]

This. Go for a vacation where you will learn some things. Don’t expect serious networking as an MS1.

That’s sort of what I was thinking. I figured networking likely wouldn’t come into play until later on but wanted to get some input to see if I was just in the dark and wrong about that. The conference is in a city that I wouldn’t mind checking out a bit too.

Thanks for the replies, one and all.