Chances for residency with Emergency Psych rotation?

[DrMeowMeow]

I just heard back from VSAS from my top choice residency. I applied to both the inpatient psych (SubI where the residents and PD are) and emergency psych. Inpatient psych was too full, but they did have a spot for emergency. Would doing that rotation help my chances at all for getting into this residency? I ask because I would have to commute an hour each way which would be inconvenient if it wouldn't help my chances and I also have the option to do inpatient psych rotations at hospitals much closer to me instead (one at another residency and one without a residency, but I heard the psychiatrist there is a great teacher). My school allows me to do a maximum of 2 psych rotations for 4th year. Any opinions or advice? Thanks!

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[OldPsychDoc]

If the emergency rotation is staffed by a psych faculty member who is well known to the PD, and who will be offering evaluations of your work that will be well-received by the PD and other decision-makers, then it is most assuredly worth it. Do residents do regular rotations on that service? Any sense of what faculty you'll be working with and how interested they are in having an outside trainee? All of these factors will matter.

 

[whopper]

The only real accurate method to tell how good a candidate will be is to see their performance. Turns out applications have several factors that have no to little merit.

Many programs love trying to keep spots open for applicants they like by knowing them personally. Why risk getting a candidate that could look good on paper but not be a good resident when you know you got a good one in front of you?

The only problem I've seen in this area is several PDs have told me they see a candidate do very well in rotation, the candidate promises they ranked that program as #1 and then they match someone else proving with certainty they were lying to the PD about how high they matched the program. Several programs will not take people outside the MATCH, so it might not guarantee a spot, but it could literally be the most powerful strategy to get into a program.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Almost no programs take applicants outside of the match since we have all in. Doing a sub I helps if you do well.