The HOST Program is designed to connect M4 students like you to Rush Medical College alumni in an effort to support you during the residency interview process and to help you begin networking with alumni. Through the HOST Program, you can either find alumni to accommodate you or find alumni to serve as contacts.
How does the HOST program work?
1. Register for the program through our online request form.
2. The Office of Alumni Relations will confirm your request by email.
3. Our office contacts alumni living in the region where you are looking to ask if they are willing and able to host you.
4. Once we receive an alum's agreement, we send you an email with the alum's contact information.
5. You contact the alum to make arrangements.
6. About a week before your arrival, please connect with the alum to remind him/her of the details. If for some reason you need to reschedule your interview or cancel it altogether after you have received an email with the name and contact information of an alum who plans to host you, you must inform the Office of Alumni Relations as soon as possible. Alumni look forward to hosting students, so if you unexpectedly don't show up, they will be disappointed.
7. During your stay, we ask that you take a photo (preferably a "selfie") with your HOST alum. This is a great way to help spread the word about this program! Once you return from your interview, please send the photo to our office.
Frequently Asked HOST Questions
Who are the HOST volunteers? They are RMC and graduate medical education (residents and fellows) alumni.
Where are the HOST volunteers? They are located throughout the entire U.S., from New York to Florida to California.
How many requests can I make? You can make as many requests as you would like, but we cannot guarantee that you will be matched with an alum every time.
How long can I stay at a host's house? Most students only need to stay for one night, but if you have two or three interviews in one area, we can ask an alum to host you for multiple nights. Last year one alum hosted a student for five nights.
Do I contact the alum? Yes. Once you receive the alum's information from the Office of Alumni Relations, you reach out to the alum by email or phone in a timely manner. If for some reason you no longer need a host, please contact our office as soon as you can.
What can I expect? Every HOST experience will be unique, but you will be glad you participated in the program. We ask alumni to provide overnight accommodations, and many alumni also provide meals and transportation to/from the airport and/or the interview site. Additionally, we encourage alumni to give you information about the area and professional insight into the medical field. We encourage you to ask questions and to share your experience at Rush. Alumni enjoy learning about how Rush has changed since their time there.
Do I need to do anything once I return from the interview? Yes. To show your appreciation, we suggest that you write a personal thank-you note to the alum who hosted you. (We can provide you with note cards.) Also, we will send you a survey at the end of the residency interview season for you to complete anonymously so that you can let us know what you liked and did not like about the program — we want to provide the best possible program for you and our alumni.