Residency Interviews: Night Before Gatherings

Many clients ask me about the purpose of dinners that are held the night before interview days. Typically, residency programs do this but some medical schools hold these, too. The goal of these dinners is two fold. First, dinners serve as recruitment tools to attract the best applicants. Second, this provides programs with more "data points" about applicants. After a dinner, I was frequently told about the applicants who were liked and disliked. 

A few rules for these meetings:

1) Be on your best behavior. You are under the microscope.

2) Dress like you are going to a cocktail party. Don't wear jeans. Don't wear a suit. Nice slacks and a shirt or sweater is fine.

3) Don't get too casual. Remember this isn't an interview and you want to be personable yet professional.

4) Don't stay too late and close down the bar. Leave when the crowd leaves and, if there are people lingering or moving on to another venue, don't stay with them. You must be well rested for your interview the next day.


5) Don't say anything that you wouldn't want the program director to hear.


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