University of Chicago Interview

I had a great time in Chicago. Everyone at U Chicago was very nice and the facilities were beautiful. I flew in the night before to O'hare and took the train down to Lincoln Park.



It was so easy that I decided to take a train down the next morning to U of Chicago.



I arrived a little early to campus so I could get some coffee, walk around and check things out. The campus is just gorgeous.





When I got to the interview conference room I met all the other applicants. Everyone was very nice and they were all extremely accomplished. I felt very out of place with that group and I am honored that the University of Chicago invited me. They offered a buffet of interview food. As usual, the only people who ate the interview food were the residents from the host program. I was just too nervous to have an appetite.



At the end of the interview we were scheduled to go to a swanky Chicago restaurant but it was not to be. Someone had an emergency case. Instead we went to the Au Bon Pain in the hospital. After lunch I headed back up to my cousin's apartment in Lincoln Park to change.



From there I went down to the Gold Coast and visited my old stomping grounds. In the basement of this building (Morton) I learned anatomy.



I swung by Northwestern Memorial Hospital which was where I did most of my clerkships.



Within a stone throw of NMH is a famous Chicago landmark, one of the only things that didn't burn in the fire.



I rode the 151 back up to Lincoln park but I stopped along Lake Shore Drive.



In this area is a famous surgery landmark - The International Museum and College of Surgery.



For dinner I took my cousin to one of my favorite Chicago restaurants - The Frontera Grill.



The chef here is Rick Bayless. You may have heard of him. The Frontera Grill and its sister, Topolabompo are considered by many to be the premier Mexican restaurants in the US. The great thing is that its not very expensive if compared to other great restaurants.


From there we headed over to Michigan Ave to check out the lights. If you have never seen it, the lights during the Holiday season are beautiful.




My last stop during the Chicago interview was a great bar at State and Division called PJ Clark's.



The atmosphere inside was just electric. The music was great and it was totally packed on a Thursday night.



When I was in Chicago for medical school people dressed a lot more uniformly. The blue shirt black pants black vest look was huge. I called it the Amish look. Everyone was dressing like that Harrison Ford movie Witness. Inside PJ Clark's I finally found one piece of the Chicago dress code. Every woman in the bar, and I mean EVERY SINGLE ONE was wearing jeans and really pointy toed high heels.

Here is exhibit A your honor:



The next morning I got on the plane back home. It was a much more adventurous flight than the one to Chicago. Apparently someone sitting close to me in cattle class decided that it was prudent to eat several cans of refried beans the night before. After all, why not make it smell like a cattle car as well? I suppose the whole covering the nose thing worked out well though, because at least 6 people had SARS and were open mouth coughing all over the place.

The whole trip was awesome and no matter how everything turns out I am glad I went.