Combined Med/Psych vs Med + Psych fellowship

[lovebes]

Hi, I'm a M3 international student, wondering how to design my residency..

Lately while doing the Psych rounds in M3, I'm finding out that I'm very much interested in Adolescents Psychiatry. Before this, I had my heart set on IM, slightly faltered during Family, but was back on IM.

Here's a little bit about myself. I love checking lab values, orchestrating the many people involved in patientcare, following "recipes", algorithms, the fluid dynamics of a Med ward. (I come from a computer science background). I love Cardiology, especially ECG analysis. I could totally see myself making ECG medical devices someday. I also love how deep Psychiatry can get with a patient, how it seems to catch those patients that society swept off to the corner.

Also, my main focus is to be part of primary care physician. So if I want to do Med, I would like to do Primary Med. If you think I sound like I'm everywhere, it's because I am.
I always thought of doing IM since the start of M3, but this Psych rotation is making me rethink many things. I'm planning to take a Psych elective in September in M4.

What Psych fellowships are possible after Med?
What about the other way around - Psych and then Med?
I read that Med/Psych combined programs are tough and are logistical headaches in terms of billing/etc.
Are there any Med-heavy General Psych programs? Or Psych-heavy Med programs?

Thank you.

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[rokshana]

whether or not Med/Pysch programs have billing issues will not be your concern as a resident…
do a couple of psych electives early to see if its something you would like…it takes a special person to be able to do psych and those who go into have a deep interest in the specialty.

if you are more algorithmic in nature, psych may not be the place, since thinking outside the box and having to adjust meds and treatment are part of the daily practice.
If you are looking to be a PCP and do psych, then an IM/Pysch program would be a good fit.

 

[padastra]

If the two are otherwise equal, it will be significantly easier to get into a psych residency vs. a medicine residency. You can also look into co-location and reverse co-location as regards to care for underserved which sounds like something right up your alley.

EKG machines are largely a mature market so unless you have some unique game-changing insight you would not likely find success there.

 

[michaelrack]

What Psych fellowships are possible after Med?
What about the other way around - Psych and then Med?
I read that Med/Psych combined programs are tough and are logistical headaches in terms of billing/etc.
Are there any Med-heavy General Psych programs? Or Psych-heavy Med programs?

.

1. sleep
2 sleep
3. combine residency is long (5) years, about as painful as a pure IM residency but spread out over 5 years
4. No