Preinterview dinners

[Etomidate]

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Are any of you guys wearing ties or just dress shirts with slacks?

 

[toofache32]

Wife-beater with jeans.

 

[Sugar72]

Wife-beater with jeans.

Don't get the wrong idea from him - I am sure he will slick his hair back and brush his two good teeth.

 

[toofache32]

Don't get the wrong idea from him - I am sure he will slick his hair back and brush his two good teeth.

What about the other 4 rotten teeth?

 

[VentdependenT]

wrap em in foil

 

[ThinkFast007]

on the real though...i've been on one interview so far adn this si what I saw...

if ur a chick...just jeans/pants. nthing too dressy. Most guys wore jeans and a casual button down.

the residents and the PD at dinner were clear in one thing...the dinner is completely informal and its your time to drill them/get to know them. They also made it a point (literally like 4 times during the night) to say that one is NOT evaluated by how u interact,etc at dinner.

hope that helps

 

[ear-ache]

Are any of you guys wearing ties or just dress shirts with slacks?

What I’ve seen on my ONE interview is dress shirt, slacks, and no tie... but make sure to wear a stuffed banana hammock ala "the Todd". Also, hit on all the female residents at the dinner - I think it really improves your chances.

 

[toofache32]

What I’ve seen on my ONE interview is dress shirt, slacks, and no tie... but make sure to wear a stuffed banana hammock ala "the Todd". Also, hit on all the female residents at the dinner - I think it really improves your chances.

And ask the PD for a picture of his daughter.

 

[DOMD]

It's definitely informal but don't be fool to think you're not being evaluated. We had an interviewee who was a complete @sshole and was rude to everyone including the waitstaff. He was completely crossed off the list. Again, it's casual. Drill the residents. Be yourself but don't be an @sshole.

 

[Med4ever]

Can asking the residents certain questions have a negative impact on you or your application? I mean I would like to know average work hours, how frequent calls are, type of cases done on call, fellowship oppotunities etc. I am concerned that certain questions asked can paint a picture of you that is not exactly accurate? Any thoughts?

It's definitely informal but don't be fool to think you're not being evaluated. We had an interviewee who was a complete @sshole and was rude to everyone including the waitstaff. He was completely crossed off the list. Again, it's casual. Drill the residents. Be yourself but don't be an @sshole.

 

[bchang74]

Can asking the residents certain questions have a negative impact on you or your application? I mean I would like to know average work hours, how frequent calls are, type of cases done on call, fellowship oppotunities etc. I am concerned that certain questions asked can paint a picture of you that is not exactly accurate? Any thoughts?

Personally I would say that the pre-interview dinner is the ideal place to ask such questions. The residents are the ones who really are familiar with the nitty-gritty issues such as call frequecy, work-hours....etc. IMHO, these are not questions to be asking faculty, PD, program chairman.

Our program specifically tells us to be as honest / critical as we think that we need to be at the pre-interview dinner. My PD has only told me about one interviewee who totally eliminated himself at the pre-interview dinner, but that was only because the person was totally inappropriate with waitstaff and female residents. Otherwise, the PD and attendings will have no idea of what happens at the preinterview dinner.

 

[Sugar72]

I dressed on the dressy side of casual - one guy wore a suit jacket with no tie andthe other wore khaki's and a sweater. The dinner was very laid back - everyone but me drank alcohol and I made everyone order dessert so I could have one. I would have been underdressed in jeans - so girls - I wouldn't wear jeans regardless of what one of the other posters said - and I am one casual jeans-wearing beeotch.

 

[cytoskelement]

Be yourself but don't be an @sshole.

But what if one's self really IS an @sshole. J/k. Good luck everyone.

 

[ThinkFast007]

I dressed on the dressy side of casual - one guy wore a suit jacket with no tie andthe other wore khaki's and a sweater. The dinner was very laid back - everyone but me drank alcohol and I made everyone order dessert so I could have one. I would have been underdressed in jeans - so girls - I wouldn't wear jeans regardless of what one of the other posters said - and I am one casual jeans-wearing beeotch.

i agree w/ SUGAR

although I did say that jeans would be appropriate and well MOST of the students there wore jeans...well its a small sample size


i saw just wear what ur comfy with 😉 even if that means a tuxedo

 

[SleepyTime]

Sugar, that's an understatement (not the "B" part but the jeans-wearing part). Congrats on all your interviews, by the way.
'Tis been one week since my last invite. But more are on the way. Just a little dry spell until the Cali programs open up their Inboxes.

 

[VentdependenT]

I remember a LOT of kakhi's and corn blue button ups on the dinner trail.

I sported dress casual pants and a sweateresque top (man that sounds flamming) early on and just switched to jeans and a dress casual button up at the end. You eat with residents and they shouldn't care what you are wearing just as long as you avoid stained articles, short sleave rock out shirts, and sandals.

Brush your teeth folks.

 

[supahfresh]

I wore the same $hit like I would if it was any other night. just be yourself.

 

[quark]

I go to most of the interview dinners that our program has for applicants. Dress is pretty casual. What gets asked during the dinner is never passed on to anyone else. If someone really impresses me, I let the higher-ups know. The dinner is the best time to ask questions like call schedule, benefits, etc. During the actual interview day, the interaction is much more limited.

 

[VolatileAgent]

They also made it a point (literally like 4 times during the night) to say that one is NOT evaluated by how u interact,etc at dinner.

what DOMD said. don't fool yourself. you're being evaluated all the time, even at these dinners. this includes not showing up (unless you have a legit excuse). it is more free flowing, but if you do/say/act stupid it's going to affect your chances.

 

[ThinkFast007]

point well taken. I figure though that most of us really wont do anything stupid like pull a Tom Cruise on Oprah and jump on sofas.

not a resident...but i would hope htat they would empathize with our 'nervousness' at these interviews and sorta see past the jitters, etc

 

[VolatileAgent]

I figure though that most of us really wont do anything stupid like pull a Tom Cruise on Oprah and jump on sofas.

haha. that's funny. yeah, they'd sure as hell talk about you after that one.

don't sweat it. dinners are meant to be fun and to see how you act outside the formal, structured environment. my advice, be cool and be yourself. just remember you're on display. and, if you have a problem at all with getting a little loose-lipped, don't booze.

 

[Crash cart]

I was at one dinner where a guy got stinko and started dropping F-bombs and acting very odd. He even let a few squeekers out. Try not to be that guy. But at the same time, do not feel obligated to refuse alcohol if you want a glass of wine or a beer. Just keep it in check. Best strategy is to key off the residents... If they order drinks and you want one, go for it. Just make sure you have a game-plan before going to ANY residency interview function, because you are being evaluated at all times. Good behavior will not make it back to the PD, but bad behavior just might. Good luck.

 

[beezar]

Oh yeah,

And go ahead and order that filet mignon. Don't be stupid like me when I was interviewing and did not want to stand out by ordering the most expensive entree on the menu. No one cares...

but of course, that doesn't give you license to order the most expensive bottle of wine on the menu...

 

[eagle26]

Went to my first pre-interview dinner the other night. I thought the light blue button down shirt, no tie, and khakis would be fine. I was way overdressed even with that. Guess it's better to err on the side of caution and overdress than to show up in a tank top and ripped jeans.

 

[Sugar72]

Oh yeah,

And go ahead and order that filet mignon. Don't be stupid like me when I was interviewing and did not want to stand out by ordering the most expensive entree on the menu. No one cares...

but of course, that doesn't give you license to order the most expensive bottle of wine on the menu...

you should totally get a dessert too.