How to exceed in psychiatry audition rotations

[Blackbird06]

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Hi everyone. I’m an MS-3 at a DO school with a strong interest in psychiatry and currently in the process of signing up for audition rotations for the upcoming year. I’m not sure if it’s already mentioned in the previous threads but any advice and tips on how to excel in Sub-Is and audition rotations as well as to impress your attendings and residents on your psych rotation? Any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Bartelby]

Off the top of my head:

-Cover the basics: be on time, don't duck out, be willing to take on and seek out responsibility, follow up on things without needing helicoptering from your supervising resident or attending.
*But make sure you know when to call in help. Never do something independently if you have not yet developed the skillset to do it safely.
-Get along well with others; be the kind of person they would want to take call with!
-Demonstrate competence. I will be asking myself, if I am your backup attending at 2 AM and you call me with an issue, how solidly can I trust your judgment?
-Work efficiently. If we have thirty minutes to complete an interview, show that you can do quality work within the set limits.
-Let passion for the field bleed through. Talk about your formulation of cases, about interesting topics that come up, and so on. Of course, read the situation and never let talkativeness get in the way of getting needed work done (see the first points!).
-Connect with patients, and show that you can foster a patient's attachment to you as a healthcare provider. Seeing you build rapport with a patient, and hearing positive feedback from patients about you, is a good sign!
-Show that you are teachable, that you are willing and able to fill gaps in your knowledge as you go along.

 

[FlowRate]

Depends what you're trying to exceed. Expectations? Fears? Excessive enthusiasm? That one can be a killer.

 

[DisorderedDoc417]

Off the top of my head:

-Cover the basics: be on time, don't duck out, be willing to take on and seek out responsibility, follow up on things without needing helicoptering from your supervising resident or attending.
*But make sure you know when to call in help. Never do something independently if you have not yet developed the skillset to do it safely.
-Get along well with others; be the kind of person they would want to take call with!
-Demonstrate competence. I will be asking myself, if I am your backup attending at 2 AM and you call me with an issue, how solidly can I trust your judgment?
-Work efficiently. If we have thirty minutes to complete an interview, show that you can do quality work within the set limits.
-Let passion for the field bleed through. Talk about your formulation of cases, about interesting topics that come up, and so on. Of course, read the situation and never let talkativeness get in the way of getting needed work done (see the first points!).
-Connect with patients, and show that you can foster a patient's attachment to you as a healthcare provider. Seeing you build rapport with a patient, and hearing positive feedback from patients about you, is a good sign!
-Show that you are teachable, that you are willing and able to fill gaps in your knowledge as you go along.

TLdR — Show up, be friendly, work hard.

Also, you won’t be competent in psychiatry, med school barely teaches it, but don’t worry about that, you’ve 4 years of residency to learn it.

 

[Blackbird06]

TLdR — Show up, be friendly, work hard.

Also, you won’t be competent in psychiatry, med school barely teaches it, but don’t worry about that, you’ve 4 years of residency to learn it.

Thank you for you post!

How competent do I have to be to impress the attending/residents?

Off the top of my head:

-Cover the basics: be on time, don't duck out, be willing to take on and seek out responsibility, follow up on things without needing helicoptering from your supervising resident or attending.
*But make sure you know when to call in help. Never do something independently if you have not yet developed the skillset to do it safely.
-Get along well with others; be the kind of person they would want to take call with!
-Demonstrate competence. I will be asking myself, if I am your backup attending at 2 AM and you call me with an issue, how solidly can I trust your judgment?
-Work efficiently. If we have thirty minutes to complete an interview, show that you can do quality work within the set limits.
-Let passion for the field bleed through. Talk about your formulation of cases, about interesting topics that come up, and so on. Of course, read the situation and never let talkativeness get in the way of getting needed work done (see the first points!).
-Connect with patients, and show that you can foster a patient's attachment to you as a healthcare provider. Seeing you build rapport with a patient, and hearing positive feedback from patients about you, is a good sign!
-Show that you are teachable, that you are willing and able to fill gaps in your knowledge as you go along.

Really appreciate this post! Thank you for sharing! I'll try my best to do above mentioned!

 

[DisorderedDoc417]

Thank you for you post!

How competent do I have to be to impress the attending/residents?




Really appreciate this post! Thank you for sharing! I'll try my best to do above mentioned!

I would try to think of “which class of med would be first line for depression”, etc for bipolar, schizophrenia. Be respectful of patients. You aren’t going to be expected to understand why the half life of Prozac makes is advantageous or what the most common problems associated with Zoloft are. These things will be second nature soon enough however, as you start working with these meds. Take a look at the first aid psych clerkship review — that’s a good primer.

 

[TexasPhysician]

1. Work hard.
2. Be early and willing to stay late.
3. Be liked by faculty/residents.
4. Offer to help with someone’s paper (publishing).
5. Don’t curse.
6. Dress appropriately.
7. Offer to call for collateral info

You would be surprised how people can’t figure out the basics.

 

[DisorderedDoc417]

1. Work hard.
2. Be early and willing to stay late.
3. Be liked by faculty/residents.
4. Offer to help with someone’s paper (publishing).
5. Don’t curse.
6. Dress appropriately.
7. Offer to call for collateral info

You would be surprised how people can’t figure out the basics.

THIS

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

1. Work hard.
2. Be early and willing to stay late.
3. Be liked by faculty/residents.
4. Offer to help with someone’s paper (publishing).
5. Don’t curse.
6. Dress appropriately.
7. Offer to call for collateral info

You would be surprised how people can’t figure out the basics.

How strict is number 5.

 

[FlowRate]

Also, you won’t be competent in psychiatry, med school barely teaches it, but don’t worry about that, you’ve 4 years of residency to learn it.

Institution dependent. I would expect our MS3's to be able to take a decent interview and our MS4's/sub-I's should be able to take a very good history, accurately describe the mental status, generate a reasonable differential, and have some idea of a plan.

 

[NickNaylor]

How strict is number 5.

As a medical student, I would say "pretty strict."

As a resident, the relationship becomes a little more casual because, while your attending is still supervising you, there's more of a move toward "peer" from "supervisee," particularly as you move on in training. I will occasionally curse in front of attendings, but I don't make a habit of it, and I don't take the next step of being blatantly inappropriate in other ways.

 

[DisorderedDoc417]

Institution dependent. I would expect our MS3's to be able to take a decent interview and our MS4's/sub-I's should be able to take a very good history, accurately describe the mental status, generate a reasonable differential, and have some idea of a plan.

That should be expected of a med student. I’m referring to subtle nuances in psychopharmacology.

 

[Beepboop]

Hello everyone! I had a question about etiquette on away rotations. My sister's engagement party is the same month as one of my away rotations and unfortunately it is a 6 hour flight away. Is it okay for me to ask for 2 days off or is that pushing it? I appreciate any advice!

 

[splik]

Hello everyone! I had a question about etiquette on away rotations. My sister's engagement party is the same month as one of my away rotations and unfortunately it is a 6 hour flight away. Is it okay for me to ask for 2 days off or is that pushing it? I appreciate any advice!

It is okay to ask, and of course they could say no (very unlikely in psychiatry!), but you should always offer to make it up (for example taking call, weekends etc), which they may say you don't have to do but you should be going the extra mile on away rotations.

 

[uhmocksuhsillen]

TLdR — Show up, be friendly, work hard.

Also, you won’t be competent in psychiatry, med school barely teaches it, but don’t worry about that, you’ve 4 years of residency to learn it.

This is something I'm wondering... how much baseline knowledge is needed for my first psych sub-i? My third year rotation was decent, but I feel like there's so much I don't know (and my psych interview could be much improved).

Is first aid for psych shelf enough or should I be reading something more indepth? Any other advice? Thanks!

 

[Merely]

This is something I'm wondering... how much baseline knowledge is needed for my first psych sub-i? My third year rotation was decent, but I feel like there's so much I don't know (and my psych interview could be much improved).

Is first aid for psych shelf enough or should I be reading something more indepth? Any other advice? Thanks!

It’s your first rotation..the expectations are not high. As long as your are not annoying/an dingus you will do fine. Your skills will improve and you will become a good doctor. If you were competent now there would be no need for 5 extra years of training. Enjoy the process and don’t get too stressed out, you’re still a learner no one is expecting competence. Good luck and have fun!