Create your own Med/Psych

[DaSein77]

I'm a 3rd year trying to figure out the rest of my life. My primary interest is in Psych, however, I would ideally like to do a combined Med/Psych program. Unfortunately I am geographically limited and need to stay in the Mid Atlantic area (PA, NY, DC, Etc). The closest program is in WV, which is a little too far away. I've heard that some programs are receptive to creating a combined program on request. Has anyone actually heard of this happening? How does one go about doing this? I mean, do I just bring it up during my psych interview: "By the way, can I do IM and Psych?" "Yes." "Can I have that in writing before I rank your program?"
Any info is helpful and, yes, I'm aware of the FM/Psych programs, which may be an alternative. I'd rather do IM if possible.

Thanks

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[nitemagi]

The first med/psych programs came about through such an idea. Every story I've heard, though, involves someone in residency, doing their residency and doing it well, then approaching their PD and asking them if they'd be open to approaching the other department and make it happen. You might be able to negotiate it a bit if you're someone that program is heavily recruiting. Then you might have a little more negotiating power.

 

[DaSein77]

Cool...thanks for the reply, appreciated.

 

[Studious]

One of the major issues with med/psych training, as I understand it, is that the fifth year isn't paid for by CMS/Medicare, so the program/hospital/university eats the cost of your fifth year of residency. Thus, you're liable to find a lot of resistance because if you go into, say, medicine, you only have three years allotted to your training; in psych, you have four. In med/psych, you have five years.