Come meet and get to know us (faculty, residents, etc.) at various shops and start getting an idea of what kind of places seem like a good fit! It's hard to get to know various programs unless you go through it, rotate, or already work with them. Chatting with people personally and seeing how each program portrays itself year-after-year at various events, etc. will give you a better sense of what we're each about. You'll get out (as with all things) what you put in. (But don't put in your CV or business card. I assure you no one is going to peruse a paper copy of a med student's CV on the flight home and if you're applying for a rotation/residency interview, we already have it. Your human face is much more meaningful than you on paper.)
We meet tons of students at these events. Unless you're deeply bizarre or offensive, we won't remember you negatively. You may be remembered positively if you have a genuinely interesting conversation with someone about something you're truly enthusiastic about (just like the rest of life). Ask questions about things that matter to you and create an opportunity to either continue the discussion later. I know that as pre-meds and medical students, we're not often taught anything about how to professionally network. Here are some example phrases:
- "I don't want to keep you from all of these other students, but I'd love to discuss ___ further. Can I grab your email address?" (or set up a time to chat later)
- "___ does seem like an appealing program. I really want to train somewhere where (unique thing you actually care about) . I'll definitely send an application your way next year. May I grab your card, as well?"
- "I've actually never lived on the ___ coast, but ___ sounds like great place and I'd love to rotate with you! How do you choose your rotators and how do I apply?"
- Follow up with a simple email citing something specific/memorable about your conversation IF you are genuinely interested in a continued conversation. No one wants to keep talking to you about something you're pretending to care about.
I don't think there are many questions that would be considered truly inappropriate, because we know you're looking for a place to work really hard and want you to be happy as you do it. This means different things to different people. Unlike an interview, you'll be more likely forgiven for asking questions about things that are on our websites. Just try to be professional:
- "I've heard the cost-of-living in ___ is pretty bad/good . What's it like living as a resident there?"
- "I hear that the ancillary services in ___ are not as pro-active as I'm used to coming from ___. What's your experience been like?"
- "I'm pretty sure I want to work in the community after I finish residency. What kind of positions have your recent graduates gone into?"
- "A lot of my family is in ___, but your program sounds great. Do most of your grads stay in the area? Have many had success finding work in ___?"
- "I've always been really involved in the LGBTQ community and don't know much about ___. Do you know what it's like there?"
Hope this is somewhat helpful and look forward to meeting you! Just have fun meeting people who are working in a profession you think you want to work in, too. Then go grab a beverage or do something else when it stops being fun.