I will tell you my personal story which should help the psych people that did not match. I am a third year psych resident moonlighting at two hospitals pulling 10k-17k a month with moonlighting alone. Just listen.
When I was in 4th year med school, I ended up getting 7 interviews for psych. I applied to 36 places. I ended going to 6 interviews. My step scores was 227 for both step 1 and 2 first time pass. By jan, i found out i had failed step 2 cs but did not submit my score. I ended up taking step cs in feb but didnt have my scores by match day. By Match day in March, i didnt match. I was devastated.
I missed my first SOAP day because i was out of the country. My program was furious. It didnt matter, i didnt get a SOAP spot and I wouldnt have anyway since all programs auto screen if all your steps are not passed by SOAP. At this point, I was really scared.
My program told me to take a research year or MPH. I vehemently refused both. There had to be another option. I went to the program director at my psychiatry program. I had interviewed at my program so he would understand. He offered solace but little guidance. "This year was competitive". No offer to look for a spot or open a spot for me. He was useless.
I then was told to look for a prelim spot. I went to my IM program. They did not have any spots but said to do a research year. I went to neurology. No help either. At this point I was so lost. I was looking at a gap year with loans and currently no job. I felt trapped. My classmates also seemed to somewhat avoid me due to awkaradness as I was one of the students who didnt match. Questions about what i was going to do by other med students only perturbed me more. "Im trying to do something" i always thought. I kept reaching out for advice. There had to be a way.
I reached out to one friend. The school considered him as "a person who didnt listen" to their advice and he didnt match the previous year and was doing a gap year at the time. Maybe I could learn from his mistakes? He ended up being the most helpful. His advice. Send a email to every program in the country and look for new programs.
So i did what i was told. I sent a generic email to every psych, IM, and neurology program in the country. In all honestly at least over 1000+ emails (found emails and phone numbers using link below). I also looked up new programs on a list that gets updated everyday. I contacted the program once they appeared on the list (link below). And followed up every day. My step cs came back in April which showed i passed. Long story short, I got offered two prelim IM spots and a neurology spot in a very desirable part of the country that were out of match. I ended up taking the neurology. After my first year in neurology, I transferred directly to PGY 2 psych and will be going into PGY 4. Anyway, lesson is, there is still hope. Just work hard.
apps.acgme.org
apps.acgme.org
When I was in 4th year med school, I ended up getting 7 interviews for psych. I applied to 36 places. I ended going to 6 interviews. My step scores was 227 for both step 1 and 2 first time pass. By jan, i found out i had failed step 2 cs but did not submit my score. I ended up taking step cs in feb but didnt have my scores by match day. By Match day in March, i didnt match. I was devastated.
I missed my first SOAP day because i was out of the country. My program was furious. It didnt matter, i didnt get a SOAP spot and I wouldnt have anyway since all programs auto screen if all your steps are not passed by SOAP. At this point, I was really scared.
My program told me to take a research year or MPH. I vehemently refused both. There had to be another option. I went to the program director at my psychiatry program. I had interviewed at my program so he would understand. He offered solace but little guidance. "This year was competitive". No offer to look for a spot or open a spot for me. He was useless.
I then was told to look for a prelim spot. I went to my IM program. They did not have any spots but said to do a research year. I went to neurology. No help either. At this point I was so lost. I was looking at a gap year with loans and currently no job. I felt trapped. My classmates also seemed to somewhat avoid me due to awkaradness as I was one of the students who didnt match. Questions about what i was going to do by other med students only perturbed me more. "Im trying to do something" i always thought. I kept reaching out for advice. There had to be a way.
I reached out to one friend. The school considered him as "a person who didnt listen" to their advice and he didnt match the previous year and was doing a gap year at the time. Maybe I could learn from his mistakes? He ended up being the most helpful. His advice. Send a email to every program in the country and look for new programs.
So i did what i was told. I sent a generic email to every psych, IM, and neurology program in the country. In all honestly at least over 1000+ emails (found emails and phone numbers using link below). I also looked up new programs on a list that gets updated everyday. I contacted the program once they appeared on the list (link below). And followed up every day. My step cs came back in April which showed i passed. Long story short, I got offered two prelim IM spots and a neurology spot in a very desirable part of the country that were out of match. I ended up taking the neurology. After my first year in neurology, I transferred directly to PGY 2 psych and will be going into PGY 4. Anyway, lesson is, there is still hope. Just work hard.
ACGME - Accreditation Data System (ADS)
ACGME - Accreditation Data System (ADS)
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