"Thank you" baked goods

[Girfaroo]

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Why is this seen as bad? Honestly, I never would have thought twice about it, but I read a post about how it looks like you're sucking up to the doctor.

I wouldn't do it for every rotation, but I did want to bake something for my family medicine preceptor and the nurse/front desk girl who work in the office because they have all been so nice to me. And I know the preceptor takes fewer patients (= less money) when a student is around, and ends up spending more time at the office getting paperwork done after hours because he spends spare time during the day discussing things with me.

So... yay or nay?

 

[killinsound]

If there are other students with you on a service, bringing baked goods makes your peers look like idiots. If you are alone, you can do whatever you want.

 

[DrWily]

Why is this seen as bad? Honestly, I never would have thought twice about it, but I read a post about how it looks like you're sucking up to the doctor.

I wouldn't do it for every rotation, but I did want to bake something for my family medicine preceptor and the nurse/front desk girl who work in the office because they have all been so nice to me. And I know the preceptor takes fewer patients (= less money) when a student is around, and ends up spending more time at the office getting paperwork done after hours because he spends spare time during the day discussing things with me.

So... yay or nay?

I wouldn't.

 

[KinasePro]

Baked goods make you look like a brown-noser, especially when given to someone who's evaluating you. I personally wouldn't risk it and would err on the side of professionalism.

Besides, do they really mean that much anyway? Most of the time when people bring baked goods into the clinic at my school, everyone has to figure out how to get rid of them without offending the giver. A lot of docs and nurses try to eat healthy, so the cookies/ brownies/ muffins aren't as appreciated as you may think.

 

[KnuxNole]

Why is this seen as bad? Honestly, I never would have thought twice about it, but I read a post about how it looks like you're sucking up to the doctor.

I wouldn't do it for every rotation, but I did want to bake something for my family medicine preceptor and the nurse/front desk girl who work in the office because they have all been so nice to me. And I know the preceptor takes fewer patients (= less money) when a student is around, and ends up spending more time at the office getting paperwork done after hours because he spends spare time during the day discussing things with me.

So... yay or nay?

This happened once.

The other students rolled their eyes and laughed at how pathetic this person was for trying to suck up in a gunnerish obvious way.

I just took six cupcakes just to mess with the plan

With that said, the scenario you're describing seems more like an outpatient rotation where it's just you, the staff and the attending. In that case, it doesn't seem that "bad". But, in most rotations, it will come off as just strange.

Depends on your attitude too. If you are a generally nice person, and just decide to bake treats, I don't think people would label it sucking up. However, if you have gunner-like qualities AND do this...it's not gonna be pretty.

 

[red10]

I took cupcakes to my 2nd year mentor at the end of the year. a) I was the only student b) she had almost no say in my overall grade for anything c)I took them on a day I wasnt working so if she wanted to throw them out she could and I would never know.

I wouldnt do it now that i'm on clerkships just because so many other students are rotating with the same docs or will be rotating. There's too much room for people to think it's bribery or being a gunner.

 

[startswithb]

Baked goods make you look like a brown-noser, especially when given to someone who's evaluating you. I personally wouldn't risk it and would err on the side of professionalism.

Besides, do they really mean that much anyway? Most of the time when people bring baked goods into the clinic at my school, everyone has to figure out how to get rid of them without offending the giver. A lot of docs and nurses try to eat healthy, so the cookies/ brownies/ muffins aren't as appreciated as you may think.

This is my opinion on the matter. It actually really annoys me when people make baked goods "for fun" and then expect everyone else to eat them. They are fattening and unhealthy. It can become a nuisance. 👎

 

[DrSnips]

this is my opinion on the matter. It actually really annoys me when people make baked goods "for fun" and then expect everyone else to eat them. They are fattening and unhealthy. It can become a nuisance. 👎

If you are annoyed by the free baked goods you are receiving, please send them to me. This is a grave injustice you are facing and I believe these cookies and brownies are a burden that I, and I alone, am capable of bearing.

 

[FSU2013]

Most of my rotations were 1-on-1 with attendings and I brought most of them baked goods from my wife. I though most of my attendings went above and beyond. One attending gave me a Cuban cigar and gift card, another bought me a nice wedding gift, most bought me luck multiple times. I had a couple preceptorship that were today d-bags.....they got no cookies. Also, our evaluations were usually completed before the last day of the rotation, so that was usually after my grade was done.

If you're with other students, you could say that they are from everyone as long as they were cool with it. If the point is to say thank you, then you should be OK with them not thinking that they are just from you.

To be fair, I'm a big "thank you note" guy, too. My parents made me sit down and write thank you notes for very birthday and Christmas present from the time I could write.....

 

[evilbooyaa]

This is my opinion on the matter. It actually really annoys me when people make baked goods "for fun" and then expect everyone else to eat them. They are fattening and unhealthy. It can become a nuisance. 👎

Are you serious? Have one cookie/cupcake. It won't break your magic diet.

Or just explain the fact that 'No, you're OK' and leave it at that. No one is forcing you. They're appreciative they get more for themselves.

 

[KinasePro]

Are you serious? Have one cookie/cupcake. It won't break your magic diet.

Or just explain the fact that 'No, you're OK' and leave it at that. No one is forcing you. They're appreciative they get more for themselves.

Only problem is when 90% of your recipients say "No, I'm OK" and then none of the cookies/ brownies/ muffins get eaten. Then, when the entire batch is still there, people break down and eat the junk food to make sure your feelings aren't hurt. I've seen this awkward dance about a thousand times. It's just kind of annoying, and obviously goes against the intentions of the person doing the baking.

 

[Geekchick921]

If you are annoyed by the free baked goods you are receiving, please send them to me. This is a grave injustice you are facing and I believe these cookies and brownies are a burden that I, and I alone, am capable of bearing.

👍 I'm with you. I'm also baking something as a thank you right now, so take that FWIW (it has nothing to do with medical school, though).

I have no idea what would be expected as a way of saying thank you for putting up/teaching us to the physicians and staff next year. I kinda thought about going in on a soft pretzel tray with my classmates would be a nice gesture. Am I wrong?

 

[Daedra22]

I baked some cookies the last week of my family med rotation for the staff and physicians at the clinic. They rarely take students at this location, so they went out of their way to spend time teaching me. There were no other students on rotation with me. I don't think I would do this for most rotations, but I see no problem with it if you're under the right circumstances.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Only problem is when 90% of your recipients say "No, I'm OK" and then none of the cookies/ brownies/ muffins get eaten. Then, when the entire batch is still there, people break down and eat the junk food to make sure your feelings aren't hurt. I've seen this awkward dance about a thousand times. It's just kind of annoying, and obviously goes against the intentions of the person doing the baking.

Well if that's truly the case, give it to the nurses. Give it to the secretary, give it to ANYONE. It's the thought that counts, especially if no one eats the damn things. Maybe say something like, "Well guys, if you guys really don't want any of them, I'll give them out to the nurses/secretary/other people not in your tiny circle"

Now, if everyone has one and then EVERYONE doesn't want another, consider how good your baking is. I've tried one, realized it was not enjoyable to eat, then held onto it and threw it away after rounds were over.

All of this being said, I didn't hold it against the person, and I appreciated the fact that they were bringing stuff for the team.

 

[KinasePro]

Well if that's truly the case, give it to the nurses. Give it to the secretary, give it to ANYONE. It's the thought that counts, especially if no one eats the damn things. Maybe say something like, "Well guys, if you guys really don't want any of them, I'll give them out to the nurses/secretary/other people not in your tiny circle"

That's my point though, typically bringing in baked goods doesn't mean much to anyone anyways. People avoid sweets in general (at least at our hospitals) and would rather not be offered them. They'll eat them to save face, but this weird social contract defeats the purpose of bringing them in. Just my 0.02.

 

[VenusinFurs]

On my surgery rotation last year one of the fourth year girls insisted that all the students should bring in food on one of the last days, so I brought in Sun Chips.

I brought in ginger snaps for the residents on my last AI. I was the only student, and it was the last day, and one of the interns had brought in her leftover birthday cake a few days earlier which is basically the same thing. All of them except one were eaten.

I also brought in banana bread on a week-long rotation which was pass-fail because my bananas were rotting. I hate banana bread.

I also brought in a couple baked goods from the store one day on IM call and said they were from my fellow student and me. I warned him that I was going to do this. I also based this on the fact that one of our attendings would always bring in baked goods and decided it would be nice to have some sugary snacks on hand.

I just like feeding people. It's 100% not a brown nosing thing. I'm pretty bad at brown nosing.

 

[OveractiveBrain]

Why is this seen as bad? Honestly, I never would have thought twice about it, but I read a post about how it looks like you're sucking up to the doctor.

I wouldn't do it for every rotation, but I did want to bake something for my family medicine preceptor and the nurse/front desk girl who work in the office because they have all been so nice to me. And I know the preceptor takes fewer patients (= less money) when a student is around, and ends up spending more time at the office getting paperwork done after hours because he spends spare time during the day discussing things with me.

So... yay or nay?

It depends on your rapport. If you are like "i love to bake, and am really good at it" and your team says "we would really like you to bake somethign for us and share it!" Then definitely. Don't do it as a "thank you," do it as "i love to do this and want to share with people"

If your rapport sucks, just don't do it.

If you are trying to suck up to nursing staff, that's ok. Only vain, weak, residents will see it as a bribe. Especially if you share. But I'm telling you, if you are doing it in an environment that is not friendly, wait until everyone is gone, or grades submitted, if you must do it. That way, (a) no one sees you do it, and (b) you can reliably believe that it doesn't impact your grades.

 

[Raryn]

I brought in a bag of bagels on a few random call days throughout the year, including during 2/3 of my overnight shifts as a subi. Was I trying to help my grade? Not really. I only did it for teams that got along really well where we all working hard.

My favorite was my M3 medicine rotation, where on the last day of the month, I brought in a dozen bagels, the pharmacy student brought in a dozen bagels, the subi brought in something, one intern brought in scones, and the other intern brought in a mini (~8 inches across?) cake. All completely unplanned/uncoordinated (or we wouldn't have ended up with 10000001g carbs/team member)

 

[Winged Scapula]

This thread is unintentionally funny. Really, some of the beliefs espoused here are ridiculous.

I take students in rotation in my private surgical practice. I have never:

1) thought, "Well this student totally sucked, but damn he/she brought red velvet cupcakes on their last day. Honors it is!"

2) thought, "Clearly this student is so clueless as to try and ruin my perfect figure by bringing me unwanted banana bread, so cancel that HP and its only a Pass now."

Some facts (IMHO):

3) its the thought that counts; seriously some people need to get over the idea that nice things (like thank you notes) are only done if they get you something. Maybe I'm old school, but I appreciate a thoughtful word or gesture even if I won't directly benefit (i.e., the staff eats the cookies).

4) I don't eat the countless goodies that patients, staff and the students bring in, but the staff does and see # 3)

5) I have to slow down my schedule and see less patients to allow for teaching, but thats my choice; I don't need to be compensated with baked goods. I do it because I enjoy it and think it important to give back.

6) appreciation is appreciated; whether its a sincere thank you, a good evaluation of *me* as your preceptor, a card or oodles and oodles of tasty treats

7) students are always worried about being seeing as a gunner or brown noser. THEREFORE, if you *are* rotating on service with other students, bringing a gift when the others don't can make you look bad. Mostly to other students, not the attendings. Its sort of like attending a wedding where it says "no gifts" but you bring a gift; the others may feel bad about themselves and resent you. Unfair but some medical students have significant psychopathology. You can't help that so why make your life more difficult?

If you are rotating in a private practice where its just you, the attending and the staff, there is no harm in bringing in something. Or not. It won't affect your grade either way.

8) if you're a brown-nosing DB, I'll know it before you bring the cupcakes in anyway, so go ahead and bring the treats in for my staff to enjoy and hope that I'll look upon you favorably when I evaluate you. I probably won't but you never know...😉

 

[Doctor Bob]

The comments in this thread about how doctors are healthy eaters nearly made me choke on the two large cookies I was eating for lunch. I had to wash them down with my definitely non-diet Sunkist.

Maybe it's a specialty thing. I'm in the ED and at every place I've worked (resident, moonlighting, attending) it has been a constant junk-food fest amongst all the staff. But we run around so much that we burned off all the calories. There have been days when multiple people bring in food to the point where you can't see the table in the break room and you think there's no way this will all be gone by the end of the shift... yet 2 hours later it's all gone and people are ordering food from the chinese place down the road.

There will come a point where my metabolism is going to slow down and they'll have to roll me from patient to patient.

I guess what I'm getting at is, if you ever rotate through the ED, feel free to bring in all the baked goods you want as often as you want. It will have no bearing on your grade (as WingedScapula pointed out), but it does get you brownie points (especially if you bring in brownies) with the ancillary staff.

 

[VivaLaVida]

Is this a cultural/regional thing? Because I would not feel any weirdness about bringing in goodies for people I worked with (from the Midwest). I've done that at every other job I've ever worked at and I didn't do it to suck up to anyone....just expressing my thanks in carb form! I'm only a second year student, but in past shadowing experience and other clinical experiences, it seems that treats being about is not uncommon and I was frequently invited to take part. Why wouldn't I return the favor!?

 

[PTPoeny]

On the last day of our last rotation of third year we celebrated and one student brought bagels, one brought cookies, on brought coffee. It was a small residency program and we'd gotten to know everyone, had a lot of fun and enjoyed the rotation even though none of us wanted to go into ob-gyn. The residents and attendings had brought in food on a semi-regular basis for various occasions so we knew they were happy to have junk food around.

 

[dani042]

Yikes on all the negativity here. ITS BAKED GOODS for pete's sake. I almost always bring in cookies for my outpatient rotations. One, I make some phenomenal cookies so its always fun to share. Yeah, I'm bragging. Two, its just a nice gesture. Third, I know plenty of other students who do this. Fourth, I've had both nurses and attendings joke that "the med students bring snacks on Fridays". And you know what, if you do, its fun!

So everyone needs to get off the high horse about how its gunning for a grade or an impression. I feel no guilt what so ever by bringing cookies, writing a thank you note, or giving a good handshake at the end of the day.

 

[smq123]

Baked goods make you look like a brown-noser, especially when given to someone who's evaluating you. I personally wouldn't risk it and would err on the side of professionalism.

As an FYI, very often, by the time the last week of the rotation rolls around, the residents and attendings already know which grade they're going to give you. In our residency, most residents knew by the 2nd week in which grade they were going to give you.

So unless you do something egregious on the last day of your rotation, like intentionally kill a patient, it's not going to make any difference.

Besides, do they really mean that much anyway? Most of the time when people bring baked goods into the clinic at my school, everyone has to figure out how to get rid of them without offending the giver. A lot of docs and nurses try to eat healthy, so the cookies/ brownies/ muffins aren't as appreciated as you may think.

Only problem is when 90% of your recipients say "No, I'm OK" and then none of the cookies/ brownies/ muffins get eaten. Then, when the entire batch is still there, people break down and eat the junk food to make sure your feelings aren't hurt. I've seen this awkward dance about a thousand times. It's just kind of annoying, and obviously goes against the intentions of the person doing the baking.

What kind of magical world do you live in where cookies, brownies, and muffins don't get eaten? 😕 P90X-ville?

 

[KinasePro]

What kind of magical world do you live in where cookies, brownies, and muffins don't get eaten? 😕 P90X-ville?

I don't know what to tell ya, maybe we just live in different parts of the country with different cultures. WingedScapula just mentioned that she doesn't eat the sweets either, so there's your n=3.