Why do students volunteer to interview, give tours, or host?

[snobored18]

Hmmmm...why we volunteer to hang out with strangers, let strangers sleep in our pads and eat our pop tarts and frosted flakes, and we we waste an hour to run you through buildings we spend entirely too much time in throughout the course of a week.

Now for the honest answers

First...remember we are med students with no money...we will go to anything, say anything and pretty much do anything that doesn't compromise our integrity if it involves decent food. So at the most superficial level thats the motivation to lunch host...in all honesty most of us will only show up when interviewees from our undergrad institutions are present, it gives us a chance to here how things are at the alma mater and lend a hand of support and a couple of tips to those who are following in our footsteps...and we get to meet a few of the other applicants (never underestimate how bad it looks if you are an ass to a current first or second year and we walk into the admissions office and say how much we couldn't stand you at lunch...it happens and so does the converse if someone runs into a really amazing applicant who was actually fun to shoot the **** with). Remember, this isn't really something we are doing for "us" since we just went through the process we know its nice to at least interact with a few current students outside the admissions office...hence why we take people to lunch.

Overnight hosting --> there is no motivation for us to do this what so ever except to make you the applicants life a bit easier. At Mayo the admissions office has no idea who is staying with whom so its not like by being super overnight hoster guy you can earn brownie points, and seriously we all for the most part have out grown out of the ridiculous pre-med kiss up routine (it won't improve your Dean's letter). I for one host those from my undergrad or those who went to similar (rival schools) and the occasional applicant who really needs a place to stay. I appreciate what students did for me when I interviewed and I know how nice it is to have someone throw a couple of tips your way and possibly take you out for a couple of drinks after your interview so you get to meet some more students informally and see that they actually have lives outside of their studies...

Lastly, tours...at Mayo this is mainly the job of the M3s on research because well they have time to spare and can answer just about anything you could possibly throw at them, these guys are also who you NEED to ask questions to. M1s don't really know much, I am one I know. We know a ton about the application process etc. but we are just starting to figure out our respective medical schools, its new and lets face it medical school at the start is pretty fun and amazing. Its the third years who are the most likely to be worn out and a bit jaded by the experience, plus they can tell you what clinical clerkships are like at that institution. If you don't run into a third or fourth year during your entire interview and just see fresh faced M1s be wary. In the end its kind of an honor to get to show people your school and lets face it most of us are pretty proud of our respective institutions, med school is a pretty cool experience and we want to share that enthusiasm with those who are coming through and who might one day join our ranks. We want to see bright, energetic and happy students join our school and if you never see any of us its pretty tough to know whether or not you will like life at our institution.

Thats the long winded reason why we host, eat lunch and take ya'll on tours.

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[QofQuimica]

I host students and give the tours---primarily because hotels are expensive and I want applicants to get a student's view of the school. Ask Q, she'll tell you I'm the best at selling our program. In return, I do not get free food, do not get a say in the admissions process, and while the touring will be mentioned in my dean's letter, the overall result is meaningless since I'm applying through the military match. I don't know what the tour guides are like at your school and why you have such a vendetta against them, but most of our ambassadors feel the same way that I do.

I can confirm that deuist is an excellent salesman.

 

[ColinHay]

In my school they siphon nitrous oxide trhough the hall ways on interview days so the interviewees can see how happy we really are

 

[deuist]

In my school they siphon nitrous oxide trhough the hall ways on interview days so the interviewees can see how happy we really are

I seem to have the opposite effect. Last week I was giving a tour when our elevator broke down with all of the applicants inside. I had to call maintenance and kept the tour going while waiting for the elevator to reset. I think all of us felt a little embarrassed, but I persevered. I just made the interviewees take the stairs when we went back down to the first floor.

 

[deleted109597]

I would have had a lot more fun with that. How long were you in there?

 

[deuist]

I would have had a lot more fun with that. How long were you in there?

Less than a minute. The maintenance crew has central control over the elevators. They were able to reset it without physically coming to the building.

I'm just waiting for someone to write a review on the interview feedback form that starts off, "You won't believe what happened to us."

 

[AF_PedsBoy]

I was a student interviewer because A) They needed people and I had the time; and B) it's a way of seeing who is a good fit for the school. The few perfunctory questions about academics and how they coped with stress was mostly a way to get the conversation going, but really, the school has already screened them for academics - they all (more or less) will fit in if they get here, and they can all at least fake being professional, or they'll bomb in the faculty interviews. In student interviews they get a chance to relax and let their personality hang out - in some cases you find out the initially polite, smart applicant is a total ***hole; or if you find someone is at least somewhat pleasant to be around, you can push a little harder for them. I figure, if you don't help interview and push the ones you actually want to be around, you deserve the few dregs that make it in (such as the med student who was a drug dealer in our school, the one who got drummed out for cheating on tests, etc.)

Keep in mind, a lot of times being a doctor also means being able to relate to your patients (unless you're a pathologist or a radiologist ), so the guy who just studies all the time or is a gunner, may have totally great academics and miserable people skills - which is not a good combination when it comes to a lot of almost equally well-qualified applicants.

 

[Random]

Since our director of admissions is one of the people who writes dean's letters here, it's not a bad idea to be known around the admissions office, too. Oh, and believe it or not, I interview because it's fun.

 

[DrZeke]

I seem to have the opposite effect. Last week I was giving a tour when our elevator broke down with all of the applicants inside. I had to call maintenance and kept the tour going while waiting for the elevator to reset. I think all of us felt a little embarrassed, but I persevered. I just made the interviewees take the stairs when we went back down to the first floor.

Hey Deuist,

I was in the elevator with you, and yeah, you were nervous, but who wouldn't be. You handled it just fine

 

[DrZeke]

Less than a minute. The maintenance crew has central control over the elevators. They were able to reset it without physically coming to the building.

I'm just waiting for someone to write a review on the interview feedback form that starts off, "You won't believe what happened to us."

didn't even remember that happened until you mentioned it. your school is awesome, and yes you definitely sell the program well!!! You had me!

 

[LanceFrench]

We get free lunch! We are honest with you, and don't have any input on your acceptance. Relax!

 

[PBMaxx]

Agree. I don't know what the rest of you are talking about. If you help out the admissions office there is invariably some sort of free lunch in it for you. And like cigarettes in prison, free food is the currency of choice in med school.

How true--it is surprising what you will sit through to get free Papa/Jimmy/Crappy/Sleepy/Sneezy John's.

 

[PBMaxx]

Oh yeah--I do it because I am extremely nosy, so I want to know who everyone is roaming the hallways of my beloved, hallowed, non-competitive, above average on Step 1, fun, happy, candy coated professor-having institution.