second look- too early? attire?

[kat82]

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hey everyone- just a quick question about second looks...
i will be leaving town in a few days and wanted to do a second look at 2 programs in the area. if i dont do them now, it will be really hard for me to get back to this part of the country before rank lists go in

is it too early to go? i know people say second looks are for your own benefit but one program director told me he "notices when people come back for second looks" so will i be forgotten in the process if i go this early?

also- what is the proper attire for second looks- i dont have any scrubs or white coat with me at the moment- so business casual?
thanks everyone!
kat

 

[mar8d]

I've been told not to worry about the timing of your second looks. The PDs know that it's tough to travel and schedule everything during interview season.


As for your attire, you should ask the residency coordinator what would be appropriate. Also he/she can also pair you with a point of contact/resident that you can meet up with in the ED.

 

[kat82]

thanks for the response mar8d- just curious from all you EM people out there, did you find second looks to be helpful in your decision making process?

ive read other posts on this site that say that second looks can only hurt you, not help you (not in EM forums but other ones). i am not looking to kiss up to anyone, i just really am curious about what a shift is like in the ED and only want to go for an hour or so

 

[roja]

I agree. Second looks are for you. Of course its noticed, but if that actually translates into anything real, who knows. Everyone knows its tough when you are travelling, so give it a shot if you feel you really need to look.

I didn't give a second look to any programs. Mostly because I was pretty sure what i was ranking where.

 

[freddy13]

So the response I got from one program coordinator is to wear something that is comfortable? Okay... so I plan to wear a nice pair of pants and button down shirt. Should I wear a tie or no tie to the ED?

What if they have arranged for me to meet with the PD? Then should I wear a tie?

What are your thoughts and why?

 

[JCserver3]

You can't go wrong with wearing clothes you would wear to an outpatient clinic (shirt and tie) with a white coat if possible. You are not going to peform patient care so you don't have to worry about getting dirty. You could wear scrubs I suppose.

The second look is for your benefit so don't worry about timing. The second look only helps if you are undecided about 2 programs which you feel are equal and don't know which to rank higher.

 

[Pinner Doc]

The second look is for your benefit so don't worry about timing. The second look only helps if you are undecided about 2 programs which you feel are equal and don't know which to rank higher.

I actually have a question about this. I was interviewing at a program where the PD explicitly said something to the effect of, "Oh, don't worry about not coming back for a second look. We won't look upon it negatively if we don't see you again. We understand that travel is difficult and expensive." This left me wondering if there are programs that take it into consideration -- negatively -- if a particular applicant doesn't come back for a second look (or if most programs, in some form, see it this way). It made me pause and wonder for a moment if I would be *less* competitive at my top choice if I didn't go back for a second look, even though I know they're my first choice....

 

[southerndoc]

I can't speak for all programs, but I doubt any PD views it negatively if an applicant doesn't take a second look. I didn't take a second look at any of my programs, and I still matched where I wanted.

We have people that take a second look, but I'm not sure it helps their rank status. Like I said in another thread, most programs will rank applicants in the preference they want them and not taking into account how much the applicant wants to match at a particular program.

 

[EMpb]

I'm thinkin about doing a 2nd look right now. I'll probably make a weekend out of it and bring my fiancee. I want to do an hour or so of shadowing, but other than that, what do you usually do on a second look? Just hang out around town, or do I meet with the PD, faculty, residents? I know a lot of this depends on the program, but I'm looking for some ideas to get the most out of my 2nd look.