Typical lunch provided at interview?

[nychila]

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I don't have special dietary restrictions or requirements per se, but I have hyposalivation, which makes eating very dry sandwiches impossible. I wouldn't want to cause any trouble to the medical school, especially since hyposalivation isn't as common as vegetarianism or lactose intolerance. On the other hand, I would really like to have energy for my afternoon interviews...

Interview season is coming up for me, and I was wondering what types of foods are usually served at interview lunches - simple sandwiches and wraps, I suppose? Any solutions for my unique problem?

 

[ValentineLissar]

It depends. At two of my interviews, they provided sandwiches, but at another they allowed you to pick up whatever you wanted from the cafeteria that served everything from hamburgers, pizza, tex-mex, soup, and salads. With the two places that served sandwiches, their lunch also included chips and a cookie.

But no matter where you go to interview and what they'll serve to you, there will be water. I guess, I'd probably just compensate by drinking extra water.

 

[johnwandering]

...

 

[johnwandering]

wow, we posted like the same thing

 

[ValentineLissar]

Yep.

I would say you should use your time during lunch to "interview" the students, actually. It's your opportunity to hear from students and possibly see if you're a good fit for the school.

 

[PGons]

Bring snacks. I had dry sandwiches at one interview and I saw that they had been sitting outside for hours so no surprise that I got a stomach ache later in addition to my mouth being incredibly dry for my interview after lunch.

Since then, I always try to bring a water bottle and plenty of snacks in my purse now so I don't have to rely on the school for food. However, most places have had amazing food and this hasn't been a problem since that one school.

I would bring a water bottle and something that can be eaten quickly while you are sitting around like a cliff bar or some nuts. I'm female so these things can be easily hidden in my purse, I don't know where male applicants could possible stash these.

 

[ghostman]

All my interviews had sandwiches/wraps except for Einstein and Mayo. If you don't think you can stomach sandwiches, bring your own food. No one will care.

 

[La Presse]

Sandwiches? Wraps? Where is the crab meat? One would think they serve gourmet at these places.

 

[ValentineLissar]

Sandwiches? Wraps? Where is the crab meat? One would think they serve gourmet at these places.

Dude, you need to remember, the MOST IMPORTANT question (you could ever ask) to the medical student hosts is "what do you normally eat when there are no interviews going on at school?"

If they're serving crab meat and Filet Mignon BE super suspicious.

 

[nychila]

Bring snacks. I had dry sandwiches at one interview and I saw that they had been sitting outside for hours so no surprise that I got a stomach ache later in addition to my mouth being incredibly dry for my interview after lunch.

Since then, I always try to bring a water bottle and plenty of snacks in my purse now so I don't have to rely on the school for food. However, most places have had amazing food and this hasn't been a problem since that one school.

I would bring a water bottle and something that can be eaten quickly while you are sitting around like a cliff bar or some nuts. I'm female so these things can be easily hidden in my purse, I don't know where male applicants could possible stash these.

Could male students put maybe 2 granola bars inside their suit jacket or would that be weird? Also, would it be weird for an applicant to carry a water bottle for the entire day?

 

[PGons]

All my interviews had sandwiches/wraps except for Einstein and Mayo. If you don't think you can stomach sandwiches, bring your own food. No one will care.

Only 1/6 of my interviews had sandwiches as our only option, 1 other had a choice between a non-dry (chicken salad type) wrap, sandwich, or salad. Otherwise in most cases we were taken to a cafeteria where we could pick what we wanted or in one case catered non-sandwich food from somewhere.

It really depends on the school. Just ask the school specific thread what was served and then make a decision if you want to bring anything.

I carried a water bottle around with me. I was the only one but like you, my mouth does get dry so I thought the benefits outweighed the oddness of carrying it everywhere.

 

[saveourpens]

Varies from bag lunches, to cafeteria food, to catered stuff. Best lunch = UVA.

 

[Sophocles]

This thread is hilarious... First world problems, lol..

 

[An MD Hopeful]

At one of my interviews, they had barbecue chicken and pasta. I of course didn't eat any of the chicken since I was worried about dropping the sauce on my suit. So I just took the pasta thinking everything would be fine...well the pasta had little pieces of onions in it, so my breath was bad afterwards. So many onions! I think for every 2 pieces of pasta, there was one piece of onion. Even the tic tacs I had with me didn't clear my breath up. That was kinda annoying. Hopefully my breath didn't bother the interviewers too much!

 

[PGons]

At one of my interviews, they had barbecue chicken and pasta. I of course didn't eat any of the chicken since I was worried about dropping the sauce on my suit. So I just took the pasta thinking everything would be fine...well the pasta had little pieces of onions in it, so my breath was bad afterwards. So many onions! I think for every 2 pieces of pasta, there was one piece of onion. Even the tic tacs I had with me didn't clear my breath up. That was kinda annoying.

I keep a small travel size bottle of mouthwash with me in my purse because of instances like this. I just run into the bathroom after lunch and I'm golden.

I don't know what I would do if I couldn't carry a purse...maybe carry a briefcase? But I have yet to see one on the interview trail.

 

[eggs13]

at Pitt we had a taco bar haha

it was good, but boy did I have to try really hard to not make a mess!

 

[CuttingCorneas]

My school usually has cooked chicken, salad, pasta, roasted veggies, rolls, etc. That ish is delish, especially if you're the one giving tours and get to eat with the interviewees.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't choose it for the food.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

This thread is hilarious... First world problems, lol..

Right?? Lol. "I'm very concerned that the free lunch I'm being provided is not up to my high standards of taste and class." People, if you have to ask whether something is douchey, it probably is.

 

[red7]

I think carrying a couple of cereal bars + mouthwash is a good idea. It can only make a difference though if you have an afternoon interview, morning interviews are probably before you eat anything.

Carrying a water bottle seems fine too. I would do it except I don't want to have to go to the bathroom all the time (I've found that there are often limited opportunities for this during the interview day).

 

[Fivo]

I think carrying a couple of cereal bars + mouthwash is a good idea. It can only make a difference though if you have an afternoon interview, morning interviews are probably before you eat anything.

Carrying a water bottle seems fine too. I would do it except I don't want to have to go to the bathroom all the time (I've found that there are often limited opportunities for this during the interview day).

Yikes. There goes my plan of chugging a protein shake pre-interview

My philosophy: If the food is free, it doesn't matter to me!

Can I get a witness?

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

I hear that at the top schools the lunch they serve is just a bunch of poop hotdogs. Apparently they're in high demand by the interviewees for whatever reason.

 

[def1]

The Texas schools so far have been pretty good meals. Houston was probably the best.

 

[Trinityaas12]

Varies from bag lunches, to cafeteria food, to catered stuff. Best lunch = UVA.

Absolutely! 🙂