Graduation Dinner

[Vishenka69]

Ours is next year. So far we never attended any official party, as the department/hospital only covers the resident's portion. Since majority of DH's fellow residents hate the administration they're thinking of boycotting the official graduation dinner and throwing their own party. We'll see what happens.

The official graduation dinner is at some local country club and I hear that this time the spouses are paid for.

[alison]

Sounds awful!!! Or at the least, like an episode out of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Wow, I'm shocked that other programs picked up the tab for graduation dinners. We attended all three years and had to pay for all of them except for senior year when dh's meal was free. I think it ran about $60-$80 a plate. Considering his residency was at a county hospital where the budget was pretty tight, I never really thought twice about us having to foot the bill. It would have been nice to not have to pay, though!

[DCJenn]

I'm pretty sure that we pay because it would be your tax dollars buying our dinner otherwise!

In the big scheme of things it's no big deal, but this whole night was so bizarre that having to pay for it was just the icing on the cake.

Jenn

[Sheherezade]

I asked DH where the money for the dinners came from.....and he said the drug companies. So, I guess that makes those that pay themselves a little more ethically *clean*.

[Vanquisher]

We don't pay for ours, and I am shocked that some of you have to. As if residency isn't painful enough! Ours is paid for by the deaprtment, and it is at a fancy private club. I definitely wouldn't go if I had to pay for it. Required attendance is just crazy when they are deciding that I need to fork over that kind of money for dinner. Attendings may not have a problem with the price tag, but they should look at the perspective of the residents.

Jenn, your dinner sounded awful. I am floored that no one asked for their money back, said this is rediculous, and up and moved the whole thing somewhere else. Closed? Someone was really on the ball with that one.

[MissCrabette]

Jenn,

You guys should've walked over to one of the many DC restaurants. I probably would've raised hell over this, not because of the money but because of the principle. Can you imagine if they practiced medicine as sloppily as this event was planned? :thud:

Oh and how did you get in and who used the kitchen if the place was closed?

I am 95% certain that the dinner is paid for with department funds. There are other dinners paid for by drug companies but as far as I know, he hasn't really had an option of paying. I'm chuckling at the thought of him saying "no I'll get this."

[Sheherezade]

I should clarify ....DH said that the department got the money for the dinner from drug companies. The department paid for it, but received money from drug companies for the event. It wasn't a sponsered dinner - just funded with donations from a number of drug companies and attendings as well. (This was the situation at one of our training spots.)

Hmmm... now you guys have got me thinking. DH's dept. grad dinner is tomorrow night, and even though I RSVP'd "yes" several weeks ago, I no longer feel like attending. I'm pretty wiped from work this week, and I'm sure I'll have to go in to the office tomorrow. Then on Sunday my mom and stepfather are arriving in from out of town. Which means that I have to do all that "guest are coming" stuff- like CLEAN- which doesn't happen around here very often- ha!!

After reading the above posts, I feel bad about not going. Are we really "forced" to go - meaning that if I am a no-show will it reflect poorly on my husband? I hope not. I honestly don't think many in his department even know me, so I don't think they would miss me. Someone please advise, as I am now conflicted.

[SuzySunshine]

I think it depends on the department but here most of the time spouses come however not always. If it were me I'd probably ask my DH what his thoughts were, if he was going to be the only one without a spouse I'd probably go.