1 rotation in psych enough?

[pysch4sure]

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3rd year med student here. Unfortunately if I want to submit my residency application on The Day It Opens in 2012, I will have only completed one rotation in psych, namely my core. My question is, will that be enough to convince residencies I am serious about psych? Also, are two letters from one psych rotation ok?

I just got my schedule for 4th year. I drew the short straw so I must do my IM sub-internship, surgical elective, and primary care rotations in the beginning of the year, so I have no option of doing an elective in psych before Sep 1st. We're only given one elective in 3rd year (well, we have an 'IM selective' but i can't do psych so I don't count it). I am already signed up for infectious disease; it interests me and my thought was, when's the next time a future shrink like me will have the opportunity to study something like that? I figure I have all the time in the world to forget my general medical training and do nothing but psych. Given the circumstances, should I change this to psych?

I don't care about going to a name place, but I would like to do one of those 5 yr child psych plans. I know many don't require you to apply until after you're a full on resident, but others want you to matriculate on that track. So what do I do??? Will they really think I'm serious about psych with my lack of rotations?

Me: osteopathic student, 40%tile step 1, honors in all rotations thus far (except gen surg which was a high pass), 5 publications, only 1 psych related (but I"m the 1st author on that one), one strong letter of ref from my IM rotation.

My interest in psychiatry started during my weight loss therapy sessions; I lost a lot of weight with the help of a shrink. I'm not mincing words when I say I was a fat wreck that had little to no self control or sense of responsibility. A child psychiatrist and nutritionist changed all that, and really it's pretty amazing when you think about it. 40+ BMI to 23 currently thanks to one of you guys 👍

But besides my BMI metamorphosis I have no experience in psych. Although, just about every specialty has some psych. FM was 50% psych issues, and bariatric surgery for sure had some interesting personality disorders. Can this be enough for me, that I enjoyed the psychiatric tid bits in my other rotations?

Thanks for your help

 

[BobA]

3rd year med student here. Unfortunately if I want to submit my residency application on The Day It Opens in 2012, I will have only completed one rotation in psych, namely my core. My question is, will that be enough to convince residencies I am serious about psych? Also, are two letters from one psych rotation ok?

I just got my schedule for 4th year. I drew the short straw so I must do my IM sub-internship, surgical elective, and primary care rotations in the beginning of the year, so I have no option of doing an elective in psych before Sep 1st. We're only given one elective in 3rd year (well, we have an 'IM selective' but i can't do psych so I don't count it). I am already signed up for infectious disease; it interests me and my thought was, when's the next time a future shrink like me will have the opportunity to study something like that? I figure I have all the time in the world to forget my general medical training and do nothing but psych. Given the circumstances, should I change this to psych?

I don't care about going to a name place, but I would like to do one of those 5 yr child psych plans. I know many don't require you to apply until after you're a full on resident, but others want you to matriculate on that track. So what do I do??? Will they really think I'm serious about psych with my lack of rotations?

Me: osteopathic student, 40%tile step 1, honors in all rotations thus far (except gen surg which was a high pass), 5 publications, only 1 psych related (but I"m the 1st author on that one), one strong letter of ref from my IM rotation.


Thanks for your help

You're worrying way more about it than anyone else will. The only problem I could foresee would be if you yourself call attention to it. Otherwise we don't really have time to count up your rotations - every applicant's application has school-specific formatting which would be kind of mind-numbing to go through and count the rotations since every transcript is so different.

The important thing are the basics - no red flags (including no weirdo's), clerkship evals, letters, school rep, etc. As long as you passed all your clerkships, steps and people said nice things about you in your Dean's letter you should be fine.

It's important to have your application in on time since many programs start looking at them right away (although others wait a month or more). You could always upload a letter from a 4th year rotation later.

 

[pysch4sure]

Thank you for your reply.

It's important to have your application in on time since many programs start looking at them right away (although others wait a month or more). You could always upload a letter from a 4th year rotation later.

I didn't realize updating my applications with additional letters was an option. What if I do get 2 letters from the same rotation? Will they (programs) care? Or are you saying they won't check that either?

 

[heyjack70]

The generally rule is 2 letters (at least) from psychiatrists, and 1 letter (at least) from another specialty. I think two letters from one rotation is fine if that's what you've got. You may also try getting a letter from the head of your psych curriculum course at the med school as a second letter.

 

[pysch4sure]

The generally rule is 2 letters (at least) from psychiatrists, and 1 letter (at least) from another specialty. I think two letters from one rotation is fine if that's what you've got. You may also try getting a letter from the head of your psych curriculum course at the med school as a second letter.

Thanks for the advice

What about a letter from a psychiatrist who was a coauthor but have no clinical experience with? Thank you again

 

[F0nzie]

Your application looks solid. It will get you interviews in the places you want without a problem. I would focus on buffing up your interview skills in the interim rather than focusing on the nuances of your current application. Learn more about the field during your spare time to expand your knowledge base. Be yourself and be self-confident.

 

[st2205]

Wrong thread.

 

[pysch4sure]

Your application looks solid. It will get you interviews in the places you want without a problem. I would focus on buffing up your interview skills in the interim rather than focusing on the nuances of your current application. Learn more about the field during your spare time to expand your knowledge base. Be yourself and be self-confident.

Thank you to everyone for your advice and time. I figure I'll apply to all the 5 yr child psych programs and hopefully something will stick. I may train in such metropolitan areas like Jefferson, MO or Lexington, KY, but as long as I end up as a child psychiatrist, I'll be happy.

If someone feels differently, please do post. The consensus seems to be 'chill out', but dissenting views are good to consider sometimes.

It's important to have your application in on time since many programs start looking at them right away

This is what everyone has been saying. So, I finished my first draft of my personal statement last week, and I have one letter of reference already from my IM rotation. I do hope to submit on the day (or hour) that the application opens!

Thanks once again, I hope everyone has a lovely holiday

 

[notdeadyet]

Thank you to everyone for your advice and time. I figure I'll apply to all the 5 yr child psych programs and hopefully something will stick. I may train in such metropolitan areas like Jefferson, MO or Lexington, KY, but as long as I end up as a child psychiatrist, I'll be happy.

Limiting yourself to just the 5 year child psych programs would be an incredibly and tricky move on your part.

The majority of folks who go into child psych do so from a general psych program. You still finish in 5 years. You get all the same training.

Limiting yourself to a handful of programs who approach child psych training different from most places isn't really necessary. It's probably also worth considering that the majority of people who start out wanting to do child end up not wanting to do child in the end.

Your application will be fine when you apply, if you apply widely and early.

 

[BobA]

Limiting yourself to just the 5 year child psych programs would be an incredibly and tricky move on your part.

The majority of folks who go into child psych do so from a general psych program. You still finish in 5 years. You get all the same training.

Limiting yourself to a handful of programs who approach child psych training different from most places isn't really necessary. It's probably also worth considering that the majority of people who start out wanting to do child end up not wanting to do child in the end.

Your application will be fine when you apply, if you apply widely and early.

👍