Importance Of Social Events

[CharmingHedgehog]

Some programs have social events scheduled the night of the interview when I would ideally be flying out. How important is it to attend them? I understand in most cases I'll be able to meet residents/staff to get to know the program better, and gauge out my potential future colleagues. However, are there any programs where not showing up would be detrimental to my application? Do schools preferentially rank people who go to the social events? I feel a thread of CaRMS paranoia in asking this question, but just in case haha

[A-Stark]

I couldn't go to the social at the program where I matched. And I was able to go to said social at the program I ranked fourteenth.

 

So I'm not sure it matters. Certainly doesn't hurt, and it's good to be able to interact with some of the residents at the social. But it won't make it break things. If you did an elective at that program, you've already made your impression.

[cardiomegaly]

IMO, the importance of attending the social is inversely related to the size of the program.

 

Smaller program = more important. Especially the specialized surgical programs (plastics, ENT, ophtho), emergency medicine, orthopedics (namely specialties that are known for their carms tour). 

 

I would personally consider it strange if a candidate missed our social - we interview so few and all our residents make a big effort to get to know the applicants. And smaller specialties almost always coordinate their interview dates and socials so you don't have much of an excuse to miss it. 

 

For programs like family medicine, internal where there are multiple socials, hundreds of candidates....don't worry so much. 

[anxious_101]

IMO, the importance of attending the social is inversely related to the size of the program.

 

Smaller program = more important. Especially the specialized surgical programs (plastics, ENT, ophtho), emergency medicine, orthopedics (namely specialties that are known for their carms tour). 

 

I would personally consider it strange if a candidate missed our social - we interview so few and all our residents make a big effort to get to know the applicants. And smaller specialties almost always coordinate their interview dates and socials so you don't have much of an excuse to miss it. 

 

For programs like family medicine, internal where there are multiple socials, hundreds of candidates....don't worry so much. 

 

But sometimes you are flying back from another interview the night before your next interview, which is when the socials are held - that makes it impossible to attend them, especially if you are to be well rested for your interview in the morning. In smaller programs where you're interviewing across the country this becomes a recurring situation since the dates are staggered by just a day or two with socials and interviews flanking.

 

It would be completely unfair IMO to expect attendance at socials given the current scheduling used by carms.

[dh79]

I'd agree the size of the program makes a difference. If it's technically feasible to make the social, you should go. If there is an unresolvable conflict then so be it.

 

The benefit of going is that you will have more time to learn about the program and the residents. From a program point of view it will give them a bit more time to see if you are a personality fit for the program. Would they ever change a rank based on absence from a social? I doubt it.

 

Go if you can. Don't go if you can't. Don't worry about it too much.