How to strengthen application for psych match?

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Lostcause

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Is there any way to strengthen my application to match into psych residency?

Non-US - IMG - Caribbean
Step 1 - below 200 (Pass no attempt)
step2 ck- 212
step 2 CS- Pass
step 3 - not taken
YOG - 2016
NO attempt on any exam
 
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um - well the obvious thing is you need to pass step 3! That will obviate the concern about you not being able to pass and get licensed. Your chances will also depend on what you have been doing since you graduated med school. If it's nothing productive, you're hosed. If you have been working on things to the furtherance of your career or getting healthcare related experience then you might be okay. You need to be willing to go for any position, anywhere. Your last chance to apply and have any success is this yr. After that it will have been >5yrs and you will be automatically screened out of most places, if you aren't already.

You need to show a commitment to a career in psychiatry, do some externships, get some recent strong letters of recommendation, hopefully make a positive impression at places where you do externship to get an inside track to a residency spot. You should also get involved with mental health volunteering, see if you get can on the board of some local mental health charities (e.g. NAMI), and look for other opportunities to demonstrate your passion and commitment to a career working with people with mental illness.

If you have decent social/interpersonal skills I would also recommend you attend AADPRT, APA, and the AAP annual meetings (ideally you would be presenting but it is too late for that for this yr) and network. Sometimes showing up, talking to the right people, and making a positive impression may endear someone to mentor you, offer you an observership/externship, project you could get involved in, or even a residency interview. You should also consider getting involved in the local district branch of your APA which will allow you to get involved in advocacy efforts etc, and also to network.

Not sure how much advice you got, but you needed help years ago. Your chances are severely narrowing. In addition, it just gets more competitive each yr while you becomes increasingly uncompetitive.
 
um - well the obvious thing is you need to pass step 3! That will obviate the concern about you not being able to pass and get licensed. Your chances will also depend on what you have been doing since you graduated med school. If it's nothing productive, you're hosed. If you have been working on things to the furtherance of your career or getting healthcare related experience then you might be okay. You need to be willing to go for any position, anywhere. Your last chance to apply and have any success is this yr. After that it will have been >5yrs and you will be automatically screened out of most places, if you aren't already.

You need to show a commitment to a career in psychiatry, do some externships, get some recent strong letters of recommendation, hopefully make a positive impression at places where you do externship to get an inside track to a residency spot. You should also get involved with mental health volunteering, see if you get can on the board of some local mental health charities (e.g. NAMI), and look for other opportunities to demonstrate your passion and commitment to a career working with people with mental illness.

If you have decent social/interpersonal skills I would also recommend you attend AADPRT, APA, and the AAP annual meetings (ideally you would be presenting but it is too late for that for this yr) and network. Sometimes showing up, talking to the right people, and making a positive impression may endear someone to mentor you, offer you an observership/externship, project you could get involved in, or even a residency interview. You should also consider getting involved in the local district branch of your APA which will allow you to get involved in advocacy efforts etc, and also to network.

Not sure how much advice you got, but you needed help years ago. Your chances are severely narrowing. In addition, it just gets more competitive each yr while you becomes increasingly uncompetitive.

This was actually really helpful Thank You so much for taking the time to point me in the right direction.
 
Any position, anywhere also means, any transitional year, rotating internship, surgical preliminary year, etc. What ever the one year inter programs are being called these days. Get your foot in the door, even if not a Psych program.
 
Any position, anywhere also means, any transitional year, rotating internship, surgical preliminary year, etc. What ever the one year inter programs are being called these days. Get your foot in the door, even if not a Psych program.

Appreciate the advice, could i get in through pathology and someone work my way to primary care or psych?
 
Appreciate the advice, could i get in through pathology and someone work my way to primary care or psych?

That's not exactly how it works here. Any field you want to practice it would require a residency or or sometimes fellowship. Primary care, nor psych are related to pathology in any way, and coming in as a non-US IMG and completing a pathology residency will not help you with going into psych. Primary care may still be an option in some locations, but it still won't help you completing another residency first. In your current situation, you'd absolutely need to complete Step 3 first.
 
That's not exactly how it works here. Any field you want to practice it would require a residency or or sometimes fellowship. Primary care, nor psych are related to pathology in any way, and coming in as a non-US IMG and completing a pathology residency will not help you with going into psych. Primary care may still be an option in some locations, but it still won't help you completing another residency first. In your current situation, you'd absolutely need to complete Step 3 first.

Thank you doc, I am 100% on it and ready to crush step 3 no matter what it takes
 
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