Conveying interest with only one elective in addition to clerkship

[st2205]

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Since I'm rather certain I want to do psych and realize there are a plethora of fields that it'd be good to get exposure to -- more fields than I have electives for -- and since I'm not too keen on leaving my wife and kids for an additional month, I'm curious to know if only two months of psych is fine. I know most around here have always suggested minimizing psych electives, but I'm really wondering about the bare minimum here and how little I can get by with without programs wondering if my interest in psych is legit.

 

[notdeadyet]

What are the two months of psych you're referring to? Is it just the 3rd year clerkship or the 3rd year clerkship plus one month of 4th year elective?

 

[st2205]

What are the two months of psych you're referring to? Is it just the 3rd year clerkship or the 3rd year clerkship plus one month of 4th year elective?

3rd year clerkship + 4th year elective, possibly even broken up into two 2-week rotations in different areas of psych (i.e. 2 weeks child and 2 weeks C/L).

 

[notdeadyet]

I think you'll be fine. I think a very rough guideline is to just make sure you have one psych elective beyond the psych clerkship you're required to take to show initiative and expressing interest. It's also a good way to make sure you get an adequate number of letters of rec.

No one's going to fault you for not loading your 4th year with clerkship rotations that you'll be exposed to in residency anyway.

 

[digitlnoize]

I think most people will only have a couple. I had my psych clerkship early in 3rd year, loved it, then did a psych elective late in 3rd year with a lot of autonomy and a letter.

I'm doing a couple more psych electives this year (now, actually), but I'm not sure how these would show up on my application. They're mostly just auditions for places I'd like to go.

I did try to do some interesting psych electives. Currently doing a "Neuroimaging in Psychiatry" rotation and have 2 C-L months scheduled, so I'll get to see some medicine too hopefully.

 

[Bartelby]

If other things on your application show interest (including personal statement, research, activities) I doubt it would be a problem. I'm with you, I plan to get in on some rotations that will not show up in residency. This may be our last stop for things like nephrology, derm, cardiology, ob/gyn, etc. Working on your weaknesses makes more sense to me than dwelling on what are already strengths.

 

[psychattending]

If you know you want to do psychiatry, then there is no need to do an elective in psych in your fourth year. As a PD all I care about is that you know you want to do psych. Just make that clear in your personal statement and during your interview and you will be fine.

 

[jamesearlejones]

I only did my required clerkship when I applied and it absolutely did not matter.