Oh boy. I'm going to sound very very judgmental.
I think the better residents that will eventually become a better psychiatrist will do a lit review, post presentation, journal article on their own if they are of quality unless for some reason they can't (e.g. the person is a parent or has strong commitments outside of residency).
It develops characteristics that will eventually transfer into attendings. There's a difference between the attendings that keep on the literature vs. the ones that simply want a job that pays about $100/hr that do poor quality work.
As an attending, you will occasionally get a case that stumps you. Only by dilligent work, consulting colleagues, and doing work very similar to a lit-review will you sometimes find the answer. Guess what? Ever see that type of attending that doesn't know what he's doing? He gives out wellbutrin to someone with panic disorder and after 6 months of that person still having that disorder the attending still doesn't know why it's working? There's a reason for that.
Now I don't want to sound judgmental. There are several who don't have the time to do research due to undertsndable commitments. It's not everyone's fit, but IMHO a lit review is not "hard" research. A lit review is merely reviewing the latest and presenting it in an easy to understand---"it's all here" manner instead of having 20 articles all advancing the state of the art without a cohesive one stop source. It's somethign a "real" doctor should be doing anyway at least mentally by keeping up with articles to make sure they are delivering quality practice, but in a lit-review, the person focuses on one topic.
But getting aside from my own personal judgment, if a PD makes a requirement above the standard demanded by the ACGME, that program should at least warn candidates while they are applying into the program. It is, unfair, in my opinion for a program to demand something out of a resident outside of ACGME requirements after the person has already started the program.
Again, I don't want to sound judgmental. If I knew you, you'd likely give me a very understanding reason why doing research is troubling you. If there's anything I can do to help via this forum let me know.
On my own, my first year and second years I did a research projects, 3rd year did work that led to an article being published, 4th year did a poster presentation at IPS. I was required to do a grand rounds.
As an attending, I'm currently working on a project that will be presented at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences convention in Chicago this February. I'm currently mulling with the idea to leave my state job and work for a university program so I can teach and do research.
