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What do schools give you on interview day?
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pair of socks with school mascot on it (currently wearing)
Now socks, that's swag I can dig. Always missing one after laundry day.
I forgot about this thread!
Shoutout to U-Colorado for providing nothing more than a single piece of paper (interview day schedule). I remember lunch being good though.
Shoutout to U-Colorado for providing nothing more than a single piece of paper (interview day schedule). I remember lunch being good though.
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Geisinger gives out really cool tumblers...and most excellent scones.
Wow I’ve only been to one so far and there was just a folder of school info. I had no idea there could be swag! The food was great though and they accepted me so I’m okay with just the folder.
5 more coming up, let’s see what they bring to the table.
Btw this is outing my age range but what the hell is a fidget spinner???
5 more coming up, let’s see what they bring to the table.
Btw this is outing my age range but what the hell is a fidget spinner???
Wow I’ve only been to one so far and there was just a folder of school info. I had no idea there could be swag! The food was great though and they accepted me so I’m okay with just the folder.
5 more coming up, let’s see what they bring to the table.
Btw this is outing my age range but what the hell is a fidget spinner???
A dying fad among youths aged 6-13. Palm-sized, spinny, 3 pronged device meant to help children with ADHD focus but ended up being every teacher's nightmare.
6-13? At least ten of my coworkers bring fidget spinners to work on a regular basis and most of them are late 20s-mid 30s. Wondering what that says about my coworkers...A dying fad among youths aged 6-13. Palm-sized, spinny, 3 pronged device meant to help children with ADHD focus but ended up being every teacher's nightmare.

Two schools have just been information packets/folders... but a third gave me a drawstring bag with a folder, an information booklet, a pen, and a sticker. I like those drawstring bags.
6-13? At least ten of my coworkers bring fidget spinners to work on a regular basis and most of them are late 20s-mid 30s. Wondering what that says about my coworkers...
Two schools have just been information packets/folders... but a third gave me a drawstring bag with a folder, an information booklet, a pen, and a sticker. I like those drawstring bags.
I spend most of my time with middle schoolers and high schoolers, but haven't seen too many of the high schoolers with fidget spinners. I guess they keep you young at heart, lol!
The only thing schools have ever given me is False Hope.
🙁
🙁
The only thing outside of general pens, folders, and printed info that I've gotten is a really nice thermos/tumbler(?) from Morehouse. I like it a lot, but I also love a nice free pen so my standards may be a tad low....
Oh man - that is (almost) guaranteed - lolThe only thing schools have ever given me is False Hope.
🙁
Love this thread. My favorites so far this cycle probably have been:
- Penn's famous interview day hat (it's really well made and I will be sad if I can never wear it)
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- A nice journal and pen set (blank with ruled lines) from Stanford
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I'm low-key jealous at the great IIs you've received.
I got name tags from the two schools I interviewed at--one school wouldn't let me keep the plastic tag holder though 🙁
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One of the schools I was accepted to sent quite a bit of stuff after the acceptance. They have a really high matriculation rate and I can’t determine if that is partially because of recruiting (I have received hand written notes, emails, etc. encouraging me to go) or if they feel they can send stuff like that because there’s a better chance than not that accepted applicants will attend.
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One school gave me a 5-6 inch figure of their mascot made of stress ball material. It's currently serving as a cat toy.
One school gave me a 5-6 inch figure of their mascot made of stress ball material. It's currently serving as a cat toy.
Was their mascot a gerbil? 🙁
That would be a hilarious mascot. I would go to a sports game for a school with a gerbil mascot just for the ridiculous factor.Was their mascot a gerbil? 🙁
It was a shark.
That would be a hilarious mascot. I would go to a sports game for a school with a gerbil mascot just for the ridiculous factor.
It was a shark.
Well I hope that interview went swimmingly!
Oh, I went with the flow. Didn't feel like I made any waves.Well I hope that interview went swimmingly!
Oh, I went with the flow. Didn't feel like I made any waves.
Whatever floats your boat.
Statistics would disagree.Personally, I don't see the point of all the swag. The information folder is more than enough. I doubt that I will be persuaded to go to a particular school if accepted because of a school branded
That's why doctors aren't supposed to accept certain favors and pharm companies aren't allowed to give out certain things.
Studies have shown just giving out minor swag (USB / pens) increases the incidences that the doctors prescribe or suggest a certain medication.
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Pen, folder, name tag, information booklet.
Statistics would disagree.
That's why doctors aren't supposed to accept certain favors and pharm companies aren't allowed to give out certain things.
Studies have shown just giving out minor swag (USB / pens) increases the incidences that the doctors prescribe or suggest a certain medication.
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Personally, I don't see the point of all the swag. The information folder is more than enough. I doubt that I will be persuaded to go to a particular school if accepted because of a school branded stress ball.
PERSONALLY is the operative word in my statement. I am speaking about my own decisions to choose a school based on other factors rather than swag.
Condoms. With school mascots of course.
I want to know what school this is.Condoms. With school mascots of course.
PERSONALLY is the operative word in my statement. I am speaking about my own decisions to choose a school based on other factors rather than swag.
It's subliminal and subconscious cues.
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It's subliminal and subconscious cues.
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The validity of subliminal messaging is suspect.
Does subliminal advertising work?
It's subliminal and subconscious cues.
There is subliminal advertising where the target is not consciously aware that any product is being pitched to them (the classic being the brief ads of soda and popcorn inserted into movie trailers in such a way that they flashed by too quickly to be consciously registered) and then there are "gifts" that subconsciously set up a quid pro quo. This is part of the reason that "free lunch" and little promotional products such as pens and pads were banned from many hospitals and private practices.
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There is subliminal advertising where the target is not consciously aware that any product is being pitched to them (the classic being the brief ads of soda and popcorn inserted into movie trailers in such a way that they flashed by too quickly to be consciously registered) and then there are "gifts" that subconsciously set up a quid pro quo. This is part of the reason that "free lunch" and little promotional products such as pens and pads were banned from many hospitals and private practices.
I used to hear that Big Pharma or other companies flew physicians out to exotic places for conventions. Is that still a thing?
Definitely still a thing; they also fly physicians out to advisory board meetings as consults.I used to hear that Big Pharma or other companies flew physicians out to exotic places for conventions. Is that still a thing?
Definitely still a thing; they also fly physicians out to advisory board meetings as consults.
This is part of the reason that "free lunch" and little promotional products such as pens and pads were banned from many hospitals and private practices.
Hmmm. Meals, pens and pads are a no no, but all expenses paid trips are fine?
With regard to conference presentations and publishing, there are usually author disclosure forms whereby authors can disclose what they've received (e.g., travel expenses paid, payment for consulting services, etc.). Whether physicians are allowed to receive goods/services may vary from one practice setting to another. E.g., I worked in a large, public hospital that did not allow physicians to receive anything from pharma reps, but I now work in private practice that regularly receives meals on pharma's dime.Hmmm. Meals, pens and pads are a no no, but all expenses paid trips are fine?
Edit: I know we've kind of gotten off topic, but this is pretty informative for those who are curious: Physician Payments - Sunshine Act | Novartis US
When I was in clinical trials (decades ago), we had investigator meetings in really nice resort hotels but I've heard that it is no longer done that way.
When I was in clinical trials (decades ago), we had investigator meetings in really nice resort hotels but I've heard that it is no longer done that way.
I work with a large research consortium that includes investigators in Hawaii. Every time we plan a meeting (3x/year) someone suggests Hawaii and we always get shot down 🙁
We also got an email (not related to the consortium) reminding us that even if you're attending a conference in Orlando, you're not allowed to stay at a Disney hotel...
Not a resort, but I've been to an "investigator meeting" at a rooftop bar in Manhattan. Still, I know of some trials that have had their investigator meetings at a Disney Resort in the past three years.When I was in clinical trials (decades ago), we had investigator meetings in really nice resort hotels but I've heard that it is no longer done that way.
Not a resort, but I've been to an "investigator meeting" at a rooftop bar in Manhattan. Still, I know of some trials that have had their investigator meetings at a Disney Resort in the past three years.
Back in the day we just changed planes in Orlando and went on to The Breakers in Palm Beach. 🙂
WashU was plain, nice booklets, a stylus-pen, and stuffs. What was reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally nice was that they give out nicely packaged cookie at the end with WashU ribbon on it and ThankU for visiting us -WashU written on it. At the end of the interview day you're low in energy and that long flight is waiting for you and dreading at the idea of going to the work the next day and this cookie lifts up some spirits. I think all schools should do this.
That cookie was pretty good; also great timing on their part to hand out the evaluation surveys immediately after they gave us cookies. Definitely would have preferred a cookie at the UPenn interview day instead of the hat...already gave it to the Salvation ArmyWashU was plain, nice booklets, a stylus-pen, and stuffs. What was reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally nice was that they give out nicely packaged cookie at the end with WashU ribbon on it and ThankU for visiting us -WashU written on it. At the end of the interview day you're low in energy and that long flight is waiting for you and dreading at the idea of going to the work the next day and this cookie lifts up some spirits. I think all schools should do this.
That cookie was pretty good; also great timing on their part to hand out the evaluation surveys immediately after they gave us cookies. Definitely would have preferred a cookie at the UPenn interview day instead of the hat...already gave it to the Salvation Army
Giving this oldie a bump and imagining a Salvation Army thrift shop customer now walking around with a Perlman School of Medicine hat. SDN user sees it and imagines the the wearer is a poor devil from Penn who didn't match or SOAP. Sad.
Giving this oldie a bump and imagining a Salvation Army thrift shop customer now walking around with a Perlman School of Medicine hat. SDN user sees it and imagines the the wearer is a poor devil from Penn who didn't match or SOAP. Sad.

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If I have to choose between multiple schools my decision will be directly correlated to the number of free shirts I think I can get if I attend there.
I agree, if I'm gonna be paying 50k a year I wanna at least know I'll never have to buy clothing again
Yale gives a pen, too. But it's not strictly Yale pen. it's a Yale Financial Services pen.
Is it filled with red ink?