Pre-interview dinners = $$$???

[missmod]

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I got the invite for a pre-interview dinner for one of the NYC programs I am interviewing at, looked up the menu, and realized it's on the pricey side ($20-30 per entree). I would still go and I guess I could just order a drink or an appetizer, but I feel like at that rate, the money will really begin to add up. Don't programs take our financial situations into consideration when they schedule these things? 🙁... or are these get togethers typically paid for? 🙂

 

[TakayaSue]

I've never been to such an event, but I always assumed they paid for it. It doesn't make a lot of sense to invite somebody out to dinner and then not pay for it, right? I mean, if they charge you, then do they charge the residents? Surely there's a drug rep out there who would be happy to pick up the tab if any given program doesn't have the $500 to plunk down for the night before every interview date.

I got the invite for a pre-interview dinner for one of the NYC programs I am interviewing at, looked up the menu, and realized it's on the pricey side ($20-30 per entree). I would still go and I guess I could just order a drink or an appetizer, but I feel like at that rate, the money will really begin to add up. Don't programs take our financial situations into consideration when they schedule these things? 🙁... or are these get togethers typically paid for? 🙂

 

[Midwest Medic]

The ones that I went to were all paid for. Most were at decent places, but some were held at a local bar with the residents only.

 

[hornste]

all the pre-interview events I went to were paid for. I've never heard of anyone actually having to pay for themselves. Although, some programs did not pay for alcohol.

 

[EctopicFetus]

they will cover the cost dont worry. etoh is usually not covered.

 

[GeneralVeers]

they will cover the cost dont worry. etoh is usually not covered.

Food is usually covered at all events.

If you come to Corpus Christi, we pay for ETOH as well....

 

[southerndoc]

Food is usually covered at all events.

If you come to Corpus Christi, we pay for ETOH as well....

We're paying for alcohol as well.

 

[EMCC]

St. Lukes is paying for all the EtOH and food you can eat. Plus, Wed. night is Mojito night at the place we take our applicants... always popular...

 

[EctopicFetus]

We're paying for alcohol as well.

We get one drink covered per person.. usually it ends up being covered but sometimes it doesnt.

 

[deleted52758]

while we would never ask the applicants to pay, at our program, alot of the residents pay out of pocket. we get a small stipend every week to cover some food and drinks, but it never covers the tab, and we have to cover the rest.

again, dont worry, i dont think there's a single program that would expect or even allow you to pay.

 

[SolidGold]

In case you needed another confirmation...you will not have to pay for any food. You WILL gain weight from all the free dinners, breakfasts, and lunches. It'll all taste better because it's free. Free alcohol too during dinners. Free, free, free. Order the most expensive thing you have the desire to eat.

A handful of places (including here) will put you up in a hotel for free as well.

 

[GeneralVeers]

In case you needed another confirmation...you will not have to pay for any food. You WILL gain weight from all the free dinners, breakfasts, and lunches. It'll all taste better because it's free. Free alcohol too during dinners. Free, free, free. Order the most expensive thing you have the desire to eat.

A handful of places (including here) will put you up in a hotel for free as well.

We put the applicants up for free at the Omni, the only 4-star hotel in town. I've never seen any program that spends as much as here, it's the only way to get people to live in Corpus Christi.

 

[dancindr]

In case you needed another confirmation...you will not have to pay for any food. You WILL gain weight from all the free dinners, breakfasts, and lunches. It'll all taste better because it's free. Free alcohol too during dinners. Free, free, free. Order the most expensive thing you have the desire to eat.

A handful of places (including here) will put you up in a hotel for free as well.

This is exactly what I'm afraid of. I'm getting married in the spring and I don't wanna' gain weight! Don't tell me not to eat the free food either. That is not how things work where I come from🙄 ha!

 

[Hawkeye Kid]

i think that applicants not paying for things is such a widespread and accepted practice that i'd wonder about a program that expected their applicants to ante up. if nothing else, it would make me question the financial stability of the program/university/hospital. we do our events at residents' homes, but i've seen everything from that to bars to pizza joints to nice restaurants where they let you order from the menu. at one place, a resident told me he'd had every steak on the restaurants menu at least once, and he gave me an excellent recommendation--not a bad perk for their residents.

 

[medivac]

Pre/post interview dinners are covered here as well, and although we don't pay for hotels, several of the residents host interviewees in their homes

 

[mikecwru]

In case you needed another confirmation...you will not have to pay for any food. You WILL gain weight from all the free dinners, breakfasts, and lunches. It'll all taste better because it's free. Free alcohol too during dinners. Free, free, free. Order the most expensive thing you have the desire to eat.

A handful of places (including here) will put you up in a hotel for free as well.

I have seen applicants ordering 2-3 deserts to take home when we used systems like this. I don't know if you're joking, but this leaves a very bad impression.

Here is the quick miss manner's lesson: Do what your host is doing. If they order a beer, feel free. If they order a beer, don't get 12. If they order something moderately expensive, feel free.

Every portion of the interview CONTACT if part of the interview: calling the secretaries, the dinner, walking into the building. It has the potential to have an effect at other interviews as well. Most of the PDs know each other fairly well. They communicate frequently on a listserv.

 

[RockfordWF]

I got the invite for a pre-interview dinner for one of the NYC programs I am interviewing at, looked up the menu, and realized it's on the pricey side ($20-30 per entree). I would still go and I guess I could just order a drink or an appetizer, but I feel like at that rate, the money will really begin to add up. Don't programs take our financial situations into consideration when they schedule these things? 🙁... or are these get togethers typically paid for? 🙂

100% of the programs I am interviewing at pay for the dinner. I can almost guarantee yours is too.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

I went to at least one that didn't pay. It didn't leave a good impression, and possibly caused me to rank them lower. I mean, if they can't buy an applicant dinner, how are they going to have sufficient funds to pay for more important stuff?

 

[jakentexas]

No doubt some institutions have more funds than others and can spend $500 a night for applicants who, for the most part, won't wind up at their program. For those places that don't pay, the money is likely being held back for actual resident benefits (books, trips, an so on). The places I interviewed that had this type of policy were all very open about it and didn't mind questions concerning it.

 

[enfuegoEP]

If I know that the residents are paying the bill I wouldn't mind chipping in a few bucks to help out. At the very least buy my own drinks...I've seen the PGY salaries 🙄

 

[Hard24Get]

I got the invite for a pre-interview dinner for one of the NYC programs I am interviewing at, looked up the menu, and realized it's on the pricey side ($20-30 per entree). I would still go and I guess I could just order a drink or an appetizer, but I feel like at that rate, the money will really begin to add up. Don't programs take our financial situations into consideration when they schedule these things? 🙁... or are these get togethers typically paid for? 🙂

My first interview they paid for bar food and drinks at the local pub. That is my idea of going out with the residents - nice and casual 🙂. Expensive places seem like a waste of money and may feel too formal, IMHO. How do programs afford them, anyway? 😕

mikecwru, applicants taking home extras? Are you kidding? Talk about no home training - my mom would beat me to death! 😱

 

[southerndoc]

I've heard that next year we're going to require the applicants to dance for their dinner. 😉

 

[SoCuteMD]

I've heard that next year we're going to require the applicants to dance for their dinner. 😉

Apparently your program got the memo. The class of 2009 is HAWT!

 

[mikecwru]

mikecwru, applicants taking home extras? Are you kidding? Talk about no home training - my mom would beat me to death! 😱

Yes, I've seen it a few times. But I haven't been to an interview dinner in a couple years, though.


mike

 

[NinerNiner999]

I got the invite for a pre-interview dinner for one of the NYC programs I am interviewing at, looked up the menu, and realized it's on the pricey side ($20-30 per entree). I would still go and I guess I could just order a drink or an appetizer, but I feel like at that rate, the money will really begin to add up. Don't programs take our financial situations into consideration when they schedule these things? 🙁... or are these get togethers typically paid for? 🙂

Dude - you're eating in NYC. Consider that in your future financial situation if you match there. You'll spend that every night you eat out at a minimum (plus the taxi fare and the drinks). Where is that - Wendy's? 🙂