Travelling to interviews OOS

[NP545]

How do you prepare for a trip OOS for an interview? I already booked my plane ticket, and am considering booking a hotel, but don't know if I should book the hotel now or when I get there.
Is it better to book a round trip ticket at the time of order, or book the return ticket when I am all done, which is what I'll be doing for now?
Also, regarding transportation, how do you all travel from the airport to the hotel/destination? Taxi service? Do you find out the info of the taxi provider before you reach the airport or after you get there? Any reliable taxi services you recommend (or would Uber suffice)?

As you may discern, I haven't really been out of state on my own without relatives picking me up at airports, etc, so I have virtually no idea how these things work. Sad, but true

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[AlteredScale]

Yeah it's a hectic first trip that's for sure. I assumed it would be vacation-like but it's the complete opposite

Usually the air fare you book is already a round trip so you don't have to worry about that. Just make sure it is on your itinerary.

I would book the hotel now so you don't have to worry about it when you get there.

When you land at the airport I would suggest finding something to the likes of a super shuttle (that's an actual company) and using that instead of a taco because it can get pricey doing that. Usually you can also book the ride back to the airport online too.

I've never used Über or Lyft but those are OK in my opinion. I would rather used Super Shuttle because it seems a bit more reliable.

Don't forget to scope out places to eat. If you're there for many days then be sure to take advantage of that and explore the city.

 

[amvet70]

My goal was to be as relaxed as possible interview day. As I was from CA traveling to eastern time zones, I had to catch early AM flights as I wanted to arrive late afternoon. As interviews were in locations I’d never been to, I sought hotels that I could literally fall out of bed on interview day and walk across street or couple of blocks at most. I didn’t want to be waiting for cab on interview AM. I also sought hotels with onsite restaurants as I didn’t want to be roaming streets looking for some place to have dinner when I arrived. I either took cab to/ from airport or one hotel offered free shuttle to/ from airport. It’s easy to find out when interview day tends to end so round trip flight ticket was purchased. Above was probably most pricey option. Others will probably post less costly options.

 

[Ellie Arroway]

Book round trip flights. Airfare generally gets more expensive as you approach the departure date - one way trips are mostly for multi-city trips or if you don't know when you're returning. You should also book the hotel ahead of time if you do that, but I recommend seeing if the med school (or med students) coordinate a student hosting arrangement. That's a great way to learn more about the school and the city.

I almost always took public transit to/from the airport and within the city, except once when I missed a bus and called a cab. It lets you know how their transit system is (for getting to/from school) and also gives you a feel for the city. You can usually find bus schedules online (and the google maps app gives fantastic transit directions if you have a smartphone).

Pro-tip: When you unpack your suit, hang it up in the bathroom and then take a hot shower. The steam will remove the wrinkles from being folded up in your suitcase.

 

[Mr.Zero]

When you land at the airport I would suggest finding something to the likes of a super shuttle (that's an actual company) and using that instead of a taco because it can get pricey doing that. Usually you can also book the ride back to the airport online too.

It made me laugh when I imagined OP trying to pay a taco for a ride

 

[LaceyMD]

When you land at the airport I would suggest finding something to the likes of a super shuttle (that's an actual company) and using that instead of a taco because it can get pricey doing that. Usually you can also book the ride back to the airport online too.

FYI, depending on how busy the airport is/what time of day you arrive, you're probably going to want to have the SuperShuttle ride arranged before you land, rather than figuring it out once you get there. Sometimes they don't accommodate walk-ups if there aren't enough people (or are too many) going to the same area.

OP, you should also definitely look into med student hosting, but if you end up with a hotel, call them and ask if they have a shuttle to/from the airport. Some hotels will provide those free for their guests, but depending on the hotel, you may have to arrange it ahead of time.

 

[FalconSlice]

How do you prepare for a trip OOS for an interview? I already booked my plane ticket, and am considering booking a hotel, but don't know if I should book the hotel now or when I get there.
Is it better to book a round trip ticket at the time of order, or book the return ticket when I am all done, which is what I'll be doing for now?
Also, regarding transportation, how do you all travel from the airport to the hotel/destination? Taxi service? Do you find out the info of the taxi provider before you reach the airport or after you get there? Any reliable taxi services you recommend (or would Uber suffice)?

As you may discern, I haven't really been out of state on my own without relatives picking me up at airports, etc, so I have virtually no idea how these things work. Sad, but true

Actually travelling to interviews is rather exciting at first: you are going to a new place for your future prospects (and, when people ask you if you are on "business" you can say yes and not be completely lying). Anyway, as for your questions:

1. Book a hotel now. Technically, it is just a reservation (most hotels don't make you pay until you check out after staying there). Also, if you don't make a reservation now, there might not be a room when you arrive there.

2. With the flights, it is at your own discretion. Note that it is easier to book round trip flights with the same airline. However, sometimes, it is possible to get a total cheaper trip with two different airlines for departing and arriving (I must warn you with an anecdote if you decide the latter: when I interviewed at a certain east coast school, I booked two separate airlines because it meant me saving ca. $80. What happened was hurricane Sandy. Therefore, my departing flight was cancelled but my returning flight was still on schedule. I tried to call each airline to reschedule: the cancelled flight airline allowed me to choose a refund or a flight change free of charge BUT the other airline wouldn't allow me a refund and allowed me to have a flight change---for a fee that was 2x as much as the ticket!---because that flight was totally not affected by Sandy. I ended up losing ca. $100. If I would have booked the same airline for a roundtrip, the entire trip would have been subject to change free of charge...)

Also be sure to book flights around the timing of travel to/from the hotel and school/interviews.

3. You can research the transportation before you get there to the city: is there public transportation (subway, bus, etc.) that you can take from the airport straight to your hotel? Is this a short trip? How much would a cab cost to do this? Then make your decision.

 

[quiethours]

Even if you sign up for student hosting, book a hotel (with free cancellation) ahead of time. Some schools may not have student hosts arranged until the last minute, and you don't want to be scrambling to find a hotel only to find that everything convenient is full. As for canceling, be sure to note what time you must cancel by for a full refund--I mixed up the time zones and had to call various managers for the refund (because I canceled an hour after the deadline).

I agree that the airport shuttles are usually more inexpensive than cabs. For cabs, I call a few companies ahead of time to find the best price. Booking cabs/shuttles the day before is usually enough time.

 

[Afford]

I would look into public transportation going from the airport to the school because a lot of med schools are associated with an undergrad college, so there's enough traffic to warrant a bus/train/subway. If not, Uber/Super Shuttle works as well.

 

[referee3]

You got some great advice above. Just to throw one more thing out here: never use Expedia or any other third party airline/hotel booking service. Always book directly with the airline/hotel. Trust me...

 

[Uafl112]

How do you prepare for a trip OOS for an interview? I already booked my plane ticket, and am considering booking a hotel, but don't know if I should book the hotel now or when I get there.
Is it better to book a round trip ticket at the time of order, or book the return ticket when I am all done, which is what I'll be doing for now?
Also, regarding transportation, how do you all travel from the airport to the hotel/destination? Taxi service? Do you find out the info of the taxi provider before you reach the airport or after you get there? Any reliable taxi services you recommend (or would Uber suffice)?

As you may discern, I haven't really been out of state on my own without relatives picking me up at airports, etc, so I have virtually no idea how these things work. Sad, but true

A lot of it depends on the schedule of your week. When i had to fly out to maine for an interview, I had to make sure I got back the next day because I had a microbio exam to study for one day after my arrival. I would see what you have to do that week, and buy a round trip ticket that fits in your schedule. Get a hotel room right after booking your ticket and ask if the hotel provides a shuttle to your school or to the airport. I stayed in the Ramada and they gave us rides to the school and then straight to the airport after that, if we were short on time.

 

[sunflower18]

1) Book roundtrip flights. Give yourself PLENTY of time to get to the airport after your interview -- this may mean that you stay an extra night and fly out the next morning.

2) Uber is great, because you don't have to book it ahead of time like you do for some taxis. However, most airports have taxis waiting to take people to their destinations.

3) Hotels are nice because you have your own room to relax in -- much more control of the situation. If you get a hotel, make sure there is a shuttle service to get you to the med school in the morning. However, student hosts are free, they give you a great perspective on the school and area, they can show you where to eat and what to do while you're there, they will almost always take you to school in the morning, and they are an awesome resource to contact after your interview or if you get accepted if you have follow-up questions.

4) Travelling is stressful, but it's exciting too! I flew across the country for almost all of my interviews, and I had never flown anywhere by myself prior to interview season. I was definitely nervous at first, but it's actually nice and kind of fun. Enjoy yourself!

 

[estanton]

Stash a change of comfy clothes in your front suitcase pocket so that you can quickly change out of your suit when you get to the airport! Always having a tshirt and shorts on hand will make your traveling a lot more comfortable.

 

[crossfit4lyfe]

sometimes the school recommends a hotel that will do airport and interview shuttle. It's worth it! Otherwise you will be paying for rental cars or cabs!

 

[JPA178]

Lots of people are talking about taking public transportation or taking a taxi, which is fine, but if you're of age, renting a car for 24 hours usually isn't too expensive. I like National because the rates are good and you get to pick whatever car you want from the lot as long as you're an emerald club member (which is free and you can join online). When you have a car, you have a lot more freedom to explore the area and you don't have to wait around for a cab when you need to head back to the airport for your flight.

Also, definitely join all the frequent flyer programs and frequent traveler programs with your hotel chains of choice (Delta Skymiles, United MileagePlus, Marriott Rewards, Hilton HHonors, etc). Those points add up when you're traveling and can eventually get you free flights, free hotel rooms, etc. It's free to join, so you have nothing to lose.

 

[NickNaylor]

I would highly recommend staying with students if that's possible. Staying with students can both save you some coin and give you the chance to spend some time with a student (or, in many cases, several students if they live together). Often that can provide you more insight into the school than the interview day itself.

Most big cities have mass transit available in terms of transportation. I don't think I took a single cab when I was doing med school interviews. Rarely I had to use a shuttle service to get from the airport to wherever I was staying. It took a bit of time and was somewhat inconvenient, but it worked out and saved quite a bunch in cab fares.