Help....want to switch to psych!

[psychout]

So this is my predicament. USMD, just made a poor choice for residency. CA-1 at a good anesthesiology program in the southeast. Step 1 above the mean, step 2 at the mean, step 3 pass. Top quartile in med school class. Can get good letters of rec from anesthesiology department

Want to switch to psych as a pgy2, at a good, strong program. Preferably in june.

What should I do?

thanks.

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[cleareyedguy]

contact places that you'd be interested in. places have openings all the time, and, if the fit is right, you could certainly get into a top-notch place.

 

[sunlioness]

I switched into psych from an internal medicine residency after one year. It was much much easier than I thought it would be. As the above poster said, just start contacting programs you're interested in, explain your situation, and inquire about open PGY-2 spots. Also if you have a psych residency affiliated with the same institution where you are now, I would talk to their program director even if they don't have an open spot because they can be a good source of support/guidance for you. WPIC, my then home program, was really helpful to me even though they didn't have a spot to offer me at that time and I ended up (quite happily) across town. Good luck!!

Oh and one more thing . . . You probably are already doing this, but just in case. Be very open and honest with your current program about your desire to switch into psychiatry. It really does happen all the time and is expected. When I was interviewing at my current program, I got the feedback from my PD that my openness with my medicine program about what I was doing was very reassuring and made me a more attractive candidate. Not to mention that my internal medicine PD was very supportive and helpful through the process. I have a friend at completely different programs who switched from medicine to PM&R who found the same thing to be true.

 

[psychout]

Thanks....I just hope I can find a position this june....I really don't want to wait out another year....

 

[pillion]

Thanks....I just hope I can find a position this june....I really don't want to wait out another year....

Why do you want to switch? I was between Psych and Anesthesia for a while and decided on Psych because it just seemed like a better fit for me. But I loved anesthesia too.

 

[jjbmsiv]

We have a new PGY-2 with a very similar story/background as your own. It's a big program, with 12 new interns every year, but it seems there are always ~4 new PGY-2's every year as well that transfer in. Quite common.

 

[Faebinder]

So this is my predicament. USMD, just made a poor choice for residency. CA-1 at a good anesthesiology program in the southeast. Step 1 above the mean, step 2 at the mean, step 3 pass. Top quartile in med school class. Can get good letters of rec from anesthesiology department

Want to switch to psych as a pgy2, at a good, strong program. Preferably in june.

What should I do?

thanks.

After learning the secret handshake, you should check out the APA website for PGY2 positions. Occasionally, PGY2s open up. I would even call places that have open PGY3, because they might switch the PGY3 position to a PGY2.

 

[igsli]

we've been looking for a new second year in our program because we recently got more funding. pm me for details if you're interested. our current second year class has someone from surgery. last year we had a new second year from ob, and they're both very happy.

 

[psychout]

To answer the question posted a couple of posts up...I find anesthesiology very interesting, and the procedures cool, but get pretty stressed out in the OR, and am not very dexterous. I was deciding between psych and anesth in med school, just figured I would go with the route that most people advised to do. I'm not sure I would have done that again. I just wanted to see what my options were.

 

[motheroftwo]

We have a couple of PGY2 spots in my program. PM me for info.

 

[whopper]

If you really want to go into psyche, of course go for the PGY II spots if available. However if you're that serious, doing a PGY I over again on a profession that you will be in for the rest of your life is worth it.

 

[psychout]

Hey. Thanks for the advice everyone. Igsli and mother of two, I got your PMs, I am just deciding where to go/apply. I don't really want to go to the cold northeast/west/midwest...I just like hot muggy weather! Well you get what you can get.

Thanks for all of your help.

 

[razorback58]

I am completing my first year of a FM residency and thinking about switching to psych. Do I have to repeat my first year in psych or can I go directly into a PGY2 position.

Thanks

 

[sunlioness]

I am completing my first year of a FM residency and thinking about switching to psych. Do I have to repeat my first year in psych or can I go directly into a PGY2 position.

Thanks

You can go directly to PGY-2 if you can find a program that has an opening. You'll lose some elective time in 4th year doing it that way. And if you can get neurology out of the way during your internship, that would help too.

 

[razorback58]

Was not sure how that works. I have a BA in psych, BS in biology and a MSW and MD and doing FM. Not sure I am happy and don't want to start all over again or set out a year since psych is already 4 years anyway.

Thank you for letting me know.