Residency interview dinner.

[Batman's Underwear]

I have read many threads in regard to dinner with the residents but I am still clueless to what to order during the dinner.

Obviously, I won't be ordering Filet Mignon wrapped with bacon topped with Truffle Duxelles and Truffle Carpaccio along with Bordelaise reduction, nor spaghetti with marinara sauce.

Should I simply order a burger with fries? Nachos perhaps? Or should I avoid finger foods and comfort foods all together? If were to order a steak, what is the proper cut? Should I go for flank or simple sirloin? Should I avoid sea foods and nuts all together? What are the standard drinks that I safely order if I have to order one?

Am I thinking too much about the dinner?

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[michiganpsych08]

I think you’re overthinking it lol. Order whatever you like within reason ie don’t go for the most expensive menu item haha. As far as alcohol, I would take cues from what everyone else is doing. I personally don’t drink so it’s a non issue, but if everyone else is, I don’t see the problem. You want to be yourself and feel comfortable

 

[DokterMom]

In general, follow the lead that others set. (Try not to be put into a position where you have to order first.) If you are near any of the residents, ask them what's good there or what they're thinking of ordering. That's pretty typical restaurant conversation and won't be taken badly.

If you do have to order first, choose something mid-range that you won't make a mess eating -- so no spaghetti or seafood in the shell. If you've got no clue about the menu due to a specific ethnicity, just admit it and ask for suggestions: "Wow! I've never had Uighur food. I've got no idea what to order. What do you suggest?" Of course, this won't work with common ethnic cuisines, and in this context, asking for help with what you clearly don't know would actually demonstrate a good quality and a measure of confidence. I wouldn't order an appetizer or alcohol unless most other people do, in which case, follow along.

 

[Psychotic]

The importance and value of these dinners are vastly overrated by applicants. First, the ratio of interviewees to residents will be badly skewed, like 5 to 1 or worse, so conversation tends to be dominated by one or two people, and when it is some jerk applicant, it can be insufferable to sit through. You likely will not "enjoy" your meal all that much, even if the dinner is at a pretty nice joint. Finally, you need to be "on" (whatever that means to you), and you need to be "on" the next day, too, so unless you are a glutton for being "on" you should probably punt on the pre interview day dinners (early in the season, I attended them, and towards the latter part, I started punting because I saw how worthless these meals are).

Other than that, bon appetit!

 

[Stagg737]

Idk, free food is free food, I'll be attending all of them that I get invited to (if I can). At the one I've been to we were just told that the residency paid for $50 worth of food/applicant (including tax), so we were told to order whatever we wanted as long as we kept it under/around $40. Idk if that's the typical allotment, but unless the programs are being really cheap I'm not going to worry about what I order too much (obviously within reason though).

 

[FlowRate]

Most pre-dinners I went to had a limited menu for the residency interviews (like a prix fixe menu.)

 

[gutonc]

There isn't really a need for 2 active threads about pre-interview dinners.

Closing.