residency fair - worthwhile?

[gouda]

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I am only a 2nd year student but my school has emailed all of us letting us know about an upcoming residency fair.

Is there really any benefit to going since I am only in my second year?

Should I just plan on doing a spectacular job on my rotation and let that speak for itself?

Or is this a good way to learn more about a program and make "connections"?

 

[MSKalltheway]

Fellow 2nd year here. I went to my school's residency fair last year, and its really not a place to make connections necessarily. Its good for information, but if you are looking to impress, just work on doing well on Step 1 and get a lot of love on your rotations. The only "good" thing I can see coming from a residency fair as that if you are interested in a field that your institution is there representing, its an easy way to ask about shadowing if you'd like to show your interest early.

From a match standpoint though, won't help a bit.

 

[LadyWolverine]

I agree, the residency fair was kind of silly if you were trying to network - I think it's a little bit too early to start obsessing about specific residency programs. However, a lot of the program representatives are very informative about their specialty in general, and will gladly provide information about shadowing, mentoring, or starting interest groups. I just went to a residency fair yesterday, and found out some information about shadowing anesthisiologists and ophthalmologists (two specialties we will likely get little exposure to during 3rd year, when we need to start making decisions about Sub-Is and the like). They did have food, which is always a bonus. 🙂

 

[DoctaJay]

Yeah the food and the free pens/bags are the only reason to go.

 

[mikedc813]

I am only a 2nd year student but my school has emailed all of us letting us know about an upcoming residency fair.

Is there really any benefit to going since I am only in my second year?

Should I just plan on doing a spectacular job on my rotation and let that speak for itself?

Or is this a good way to learn more about a program and make "connections"?

You might want to go to just get a basic idea of what the different residencies are like, but it's not a place to network. You'll get a MUCH better idea about residencies during your 3rd year, but this might be helpful to start the wheels...

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

If you are free and its not much of a drive... its a no brainer.

By going to the fair is not going to get you in anywhere...but you may enjoy talking/visiting with residents,recruiters, program directors, etc.

I think its a good place to get a very superficial screen of what you will be looking at in a couple of years. Next year, you may be too busy or flat out too tired to make it....

And as someone mentioned, there are usually lots of goodies including cookies, snacks, and cokes...

 

[Ashers]

Yeah the food and the free pens/bags are the only reason to go.

I got a squishy stress cow last year. I plan on going to one again this year even though they never have areas (specialty and geography) into which I want to go.