I matched midtier University Psych. AMA

[samac]

So I've had numerous messages over the last couple of months about my experience applying psych and asking questions about the process. I'm always happy to share but I realize I'm repeating myself a lot, I have nothing to do but sit at home and wait for residency to start so I thought I'd start a thread where you all can publically ask about anything and I'll happily share. I'm an open book now that match has happened. I'm definitely not an expert, but I'm happy to help. If there's something private you want to ask about I definitely don't care if you still message me.

So for those of you who don't know here's my info
Level 1: Failure, retake >500. Have a good story here, I had a family member unexpectedly die at the end of second year.
Level 2: >500
PE: Pass
No STEP.
Took 1 extra year to graduate.
Generic volunteer work in pre-clinical years, a random officer in 1 club.
Volunteered in an OMT clinic and with NAMI through clinical years.
I got a pretty positive letter form my psych preceptor in 3rd year.
Did 4 AIs. First one at a program I wasn't really interested in to get the flow of an academic center. Next 3 worked hard, kicked ass, and matched one of them. I didn't get any letters from these as my timing was poor. The first rotation was really crappy and the attendings couldn't care less about the students so I didn't even try for a letter.
Interviewed at 9 programs. Matched my #1, midtier academic center in the Midwest.

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[deleted407021]

Yay!!

 

[katy524]

Congrats on your successful match and thanks for taking the time to answer questions!

I keep hearing that psych has been increasing in competitiveness over the years. Did you feel that reflected in the # of interviews you've gotten or just generally through your interview process/small talk with other applicants?

Also, do you have any tips on setting yourself up for successful AIs? I will be rotating somewhere in 3rd year that doesn't have residents or inpatient psych and feel that it might be a detriment to how much psych exposure I'll get.

 

[samac]

Congrats on your successful match and thanks for taking the time to answer questions!

I keep hearing that psych has been increasing in competitiveness over the years. Did you feel that reflected in the # of interviews you've gotten or just generally through your interview process/small talk with other applicants?

Also, do you have any tips on setting yourself up for successful AIs? I will be rotating somewhere in 3rd year that doesn't have residents or inpatient psych and feel that it might be a detriment to how much psych exposure I'll get.

I think psych is more competitive than it was a few years ago, but I don’t think it’s as competitive as people have been building it up to be. I know people who struggled this year and people that did just fine, but I didn’t go into detail about their applications.

As far as AIs go I worked my butt off. I would go early, stay late, get the report from the nurses ahead of time, prepare rounding sheets with vitals/overnight report. I helped the 3rd years with their presentations and clinical requirement. I’d basically act like an intern.

 

[Osteosaur]

Awesome news and congratulations!

How were your preclinical grades? And what is 'generic volunteering?' I've never gotten a straight answer about this from my school or anyone. It worries me.

 

[samac]

Awesome news and congratulations!

How were your preclinical grades? And what is 'generic volunteering?' I've never gotten a straight answer about this from my school or anyone. It worries me.

My pre-clinical grades were very mediocre. I had a few C's (pass in most of the world now), few A's, mostly B average. None of the C's were ever mentioned and I really don't think anyone cares as it is so subjective between schools.
I just mean like soup kitchen stuff, trash clean-ups, recycling. Nothing extra special. It was also nothing that was brought up on the interview trail. The only thing specifically brought up was my work with NAMI and it was in passing. All I really did was deliver brochures to offices.

 

[Osminog]

My pre-clinical grades were very mediocre. I had a few C's (pass in most of the world now), few A's, mostly B average. None of the C's were ever mentioned and I really don't think anyone cares as it is so subjective between schools.
I just mean like soup kitchen stuff, trash clean-ups, recycling. Nothing extra special. It was also nothing that was brought up on the interview trail. The only thing specifically brought up was my work with NAMI and it was in passing. All I really did was deliver brochures to offices.

Thank you for doing this!

What seemed to be mentioned a lot in your residency interviews? Also, what did you do during your audition rotations to stand out?

 

[hungrydoc710]

I've always thought Gen Surg or academic IM were for me, and am still leaning that way. But I have this idea that I would like psych as well.

When did you connect with psych and know it was for you?

Congrats on matching - midwest is the place to be!

 

[samac]

Thank you for doing this!

What seemed to be mentioned a lot in your residency interviews? Also, what did you do during your audition rotations to stand out?

I went on a total of 9 interviews out of 10 offers, and honestly they were all pretty different. The only thing super consistent throughout was “why psych” and “why this program?” My answer does this program would always be something about wanting to get the best training I could as a clinical psychiatrist. A lot of places asked about my hobbies and interests, some asked me what I would be bringing to the program, biggest weaknesses.

As for AIs, I'd show up early, print the list, review labs, review nursing notes, be absolutely ready for morning report. I’d have the list ready for the rest of the team with this information. I'd volunteer to take on patients, volunteer to take loads of the resident and do as much as I could. I helped the 3rd year students get ready for presentations they had to give at school. I worked hard, at like 110%.

I've always thought Gen Surg or academic IM were for me, and am still leaning that way. But I have this idea that I would like psych as well.

When did you connect with psych and know it was for you?

Congrats on matching - midwest is the place to be!

So psych wasn’t even on my radar until my psych rotation. For every speciality I did up to that point I was excited at first, but then by the end of the rotation I’d just be tired. With psych I was getting up at 5:30 every morning (had to travel for it) and getting home about 6 every evening. I never got tired of it. I continued to want to go and was bummed when the rotation was over. I never had that feeling on another specialty. That made me realize psych was for me.

 

[hungrydoc710]

I went on a total of 9 interviews out of 10 offers, and honestly they were all pretty different. The only thing super consistent throughout was “why psych” and “why this program?” My answer does this program would always be something about wanting to get the best training I could as a clinical psychiatrist. A lot of places asked about my hobbies and interests, some asked me what I would be bringing to the program, biggest weaknesses.

As for AIs, I'd show up early, print the list, review labs, review nursing notes, be absolutely ready for morning report. I’d have the list ready for the rest of the team with this information. I'd volunteer to take on patients, volunteer to take loads of the resident and do as much as I could. I helped the 3rd year students get ready for presentations they had to give at school. I worked hard, at like 110%.

So psych wasn’t even on my radar until my psych rotation. For every speciality I did up to that point I was excited at first, but then by the end of the rotation I’d just be tired. With psych I was getting up at 5:30 every morning (had to travel for it) and getting home about 6 every evening. I never got tired of it. I continued to want to go and was bummed when the rotation was over. I never had that feeling on another specialty. That made me realize psych was for me.

Very cool - hoping I click with something like that as well!

 

[DO2015CA]

thats awesome. Congrats. I was worried for you. I know you had decided FM would've been okay, but I am over the moon you got psych

 

[samac]

thats awesome. Congrats. I was worried for you. I know you had decided FM would've been okay, but I am over the moon you got psych

Yeah, in the end, I didn't even apply to any FM programs, I just have a program near my school I liked that usually SOAPs one spot (middle of nowhere, Kentucky). I was just going to jump to them if it came to it, lol. Thanks for the support!

 

[Robotfishbrain]

I just wanted to drop by and say congrats again =).

One other question, when you applied for psych AIs, did you apply the moment they opened up? Main ones I'm applying to open up in April/may, but some opened up a week ago and I'm wondering if it's a waste of money to apply to them now?

 

[Goro]

So I've had numerous messages over the last couple of months about my experience applying psych and asking questions about the process. I'm always happy to share but I realize I'm repeating myself a lot, I have nothing to do but sit at home and wait for residency to start so I thought I'd start a thread where you all can publically ask about anything and I'll happily share. I'm an open book now that match has happened. I'm definitely not an expert, but I'm happy to help. If there's something private you want to ask about I definitely don't care if you still message me.

So for those of you who don't know here's my info
Level 1: Failure, retake >500. Have a good story here, I had a family member unexpectedly die at the end of second year.
Level 2: >500
PE: Pass
No STEP.
Took 1 extra year to graduate.
Generic volunteer work in pre-clinical years, a random officer in 1 club.
Volunteered in an OMT clinic and with NAMI through clinical years.
I got a pretty positive letter form my psych preceptor in 3rd year.
Did 4 AIs. First one at a program I wasn't really interested in to get the flow of an academic center. Next 3 worked hard, kicked ass, and matched one of them. I didn't get any letters from these as my timing was poor. The first rotation was really crappy and the attendings couldn't care less about the students so I didn't even try for a letter.
Matched my #1, midtier academic center in the Midwest.

 

[cjcarter]

Congrats! Super happy for you, I’ve been following your posts this year and have been rooting for you lol. I’m a third year applying psych next year, interested in child/adolescent.

Curious has to how many programs you applied to in order to get 10 interviews and if you noticed any geographical preference of programs. I’m from the Midwest and hope to stay here!

Also, any advice for personal statements? I have a similar experience as you, psych was not at all on my radar until my rotation and it was the only one I truly enjoyed and looked forward to every day. Thanks so much for doing this!

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

So I'll add my input as someone who applied to Psych with high boards and good LORs, but failed to match despite getting positive feedback.

Psychiatry does not care significantly about your boards scores. It cares about whether or not you're an MD > US trained > have a certain personality and little about your boards because It doesn't really reflect upon how much psychiatry you know or whether or not you're going to be a component psychiatrist. Largely everything from medical school seems to be abandoned in psychiatry the moment you finish Step 3/COMLEX 3 and even CL psych barely understands medicine enough that many often ignore their recommendations or have them on for seemingly more of a courtesy. It's an insular field and they have their own predictors about whether or not you'll be a good psych from the interview or your experiences I imagine.

As a DO you need to be very very conscientious about where you apply and or rank. I believed that I worked hard during medical school and was intelligent and thus I wanted to get into very solid programs in a competitive area of the country. I had lived in the heartlands and I honestly felt like I was too far from family and didn't want to go back. When I checked many of the programs I interviewed at last year the amount of DOs in those program's classes I ranked above 6 could be counted on one hand. In the second half a few more and almost all were from programs local ex. a Virginia program took two vcom students.

That being said and at least to my story is there is a bright side to it. I soaped into a great internal medicine program. At first I was genuinely heart broken. But now I think I'm a lot more satisfied with my education and training. I feel like where as in my 4th year where I did a lot of psych rotations I learned truthfully very little and experienced little growth, I am growing a lot more.

I think overall as DOs you need to come to the reality that psych is probably more about whether or not you blend with the resident culture well or whether or not you applied and ranked enough community programs. And I think you need to acknowledge that you'll probably need to rank programs that you may not really love either if you really want to match.

 

[samac]

I just wanted to drop by and say congrats again =).

One other question, when you applied for psych AIs, did you apply the moment they opened up? Main ones I'm applying to open up in April/may, but some opened up a week ago and I'm wondering if it's a waste of money to apply to them now?

I applied to all of them within a week of them opening. Things are crazy right now so it might be be a waste. I also just applied to programs I was interested in, not just sending out applications to get AIs.

Congrats! Super happy for you, I’ve been following your posts this year and have been rooting for you lol. I’m a third year applying psych next year, interested in child/adolescent.

Curious has to how many programs you applied to in order to get 10 interviews and if you noticed any geographical preference of programs. I’m from the Midwest and hope to stay here!

Also, any advice for personal statements? I have a similar experience as you, psych was not at all on my radar until my rotation and it was the only one I truly enjoyed and looked forward to every day. Thanks so much for doing this!

I definitely noticed a geographic bias. Most of my interviews were within my area, and a few in Florida. Florida is super DO friendly and I also did an AI at a Florida program.
now I know people who disagree with me, but I would target my applications if I could do over. I took a shotgun approach and applied to about 115 programs. I netted one interview, at an HCA program I didn’t want from the wide spread. I’d recommend sorting through the programs and only applying to places where you want to work/be. Throw some reach and safeties. Apply to everything regionally.

As far as personal statements go I have no idea if mine was strong or not. It’s not my comfort zone. I spoke about how I thought I’d do family, didn’t feel like I’d connected with people to the level I wanted on those rotations and fell in love with psych. I also spoke to my situation with my family and how I feel like I came out a stronger clinician after having to review my methods of studying.

 

[Candidate2017]

As for AIs, I'd show up early, print the list, review labs, review nursing notes, be absolutely ready for morning report. I’d have the list ready for the rest of the team with this information. I'd volunteer to take on patients, volunteer to take loads of the resident and do as much as I could. I helped the 3rd year students get ready for presentations they had to give at school. I worked hard, at like 110%.

This.

As a resident who interviews applicants, I'll add be humble, offer help, be friendly but dont get in the way. This is surprisingly hard for med students to do. Keep it professional at all times. There is a tendency of being overly familiar with people your own age but don't fall into the trap of being overly casual around residents and younger attendings.

Social skills, good attitude, good input from residents and attendings are important. Psychiatric patients whether floridly psychotic or mildly anxious tend to misperceive things, so social awareness is paramount. No one wants someone who will create more work on the wards and clinic. Scores are not a big deal for most places, but good scores can always help. Our #1 applicant had a failure but they were well liked by everyone.

Personal statements aren't important to me other than to bring up a topic of discussion during interviews. Same for LORs, unless I know the letter writer.

P.S. Congrats.

 

[thepoopologist]

Psych is a good gig. Fairly interesting, hands stay clean, home by 5:30 everyday, no call. Good pay, the biggest thing holding me back is my student loans.

 

[samac]

Psych is a good gig. Fairly interesting, hands stay clean, home by 5:30 everyday, no call. Good pay, the biggest thing holding me back is my student loans.

Psych pays fairly well. I know it’s not ortho, but in Midwest cities starting pay is about 250k. If you’re willing to go to a rural area the offers I’ve heard of from residents is around 300k + 50k/year loan repayment.

 

[risperdoll]

Congrats on matching! I'm an M3 and becoming incredibly anxious about the match and building next year's schedule tbh. My third year site (assigned far away from my school's campus) has a really poor psych rotation, which is a bummer because it's otherwise really great. I did obtain a LOR from my preceptor, but considering I only saw the man for a couple hours each week (he commutes from out of town and splits shifts with NPs and one other doctor), it wasn't overly personal or in-depth. Because of this, I was really relying on scheduling some auditions to help me shine, since I know I tend to come off well in person and am sure that I could bust my ass as you did to make a good impression and get those letters! Now I'm really freaking out because I've been applying to auditions for two months and have still yet to schedule one. It doesn't help that I can't fall back on doing more psych rotations at my site or even in the area because they're literally nonexistent, or that my Level 1 was bad, I didn't take Step, and my husband absolutely does not want to go back to the state my school is in (for understandable personal reasons). So basically every day I'm wavering between naive optimism and full-blown panic just trying not to have a mental breakdown!

 

[MADD!!!]

This.

As a resident who interviews applicants, I'll add be humble, offer help, be friendly but dont get in the way. This is surprisingly hard for med students to do. Keep it professional at all times. There is a tendency of being overly familiar with people your own age but don't fall into the trap of being overly casual around residents and younger attendings.

Social skills, good attitude, good input from residents and attendings are important. Psychiatric patients whether floridly psychotic or mildly anxious tend to misperceive things, so social awareness is paramount. No one wants someone who will create more work on the wards and clinic. Scores are not a big deal for most places, but good scores can always help. Our #1 applicant had a failure but they were well liked by everyone.

Personal statements aren't important to me other than to bring up a topic of discussion during interviews. Same for LORs, unless I know the letter writer.

P.S. Congrats.

From your experience, does your program care if a DO applicant has taken Step 1/2 or not?

 

[samac]

Congrats on matching! I'm an M3 and becoming incredibly anxious about the match and building next year's schedule tbh. My third year site (assigned far away from my school's campus) has a really poor psych rotation, which is a bummer because it's otherwise really great. I did obtain a LOR from my preceptor, but considering I only saw the man for a couple hours each week (he commutes from out of town and splits shifts with NPs and one other doctor), it wasn't overly personal or in-depth. Because of this, I was really relying on scheduling some auditions to help me shine, since I know I tend to come off well in person and am sure that I could bust my ass as you did to make a good impression and get those letters! Now I'm really freaking out because I've been applying to auditions for two months and have still yet to schedule one. It doesn't help that I can't fall back on doing more psych rotations at my site or even in the area because they're literally nonexistent, or that my Level 1 was bad, I didn't take Step, and my husband absolutely does not want to go back to the state my school is in (for understandable personal reasons). So basically every day I'm wavering between naive optimism and full-blown panic just trying not to have a mental breakdown!

I’m sorry you’re going through all this! The world is a weird place right now. Hopefully you can get something scheduled for August. It’s possible it may be at least better enough to allow students back on rotation.

From your experience, does your program care if a DO applicant has taken Step 1/2 or not?

I’ll let my resident friend chime in but I can absolutely say if you can it’s better for most academic settings. I don’t think the community programs cared much at all. If you can, absolutely take it. I just had a lot going on at the time and cancelled it.

 

[deleted731525]

Psych pays fairly well. I know it’s not ortho, but in Midwest cities starting pay is about 250k. If you’re willing to go to a rural area the offers I’ve heard of from residents is around 300k + 50k/year loan repayment.

Interesting, is that loan repayment for a certain number of years? Also I was planning on doing PSLF. Do you know how it works? Would you be able to do both(have their loan repayment payments count as PSLF payments)?

 

[samac]

Interesting, is that loan repayment for a certain number of years? Also I was planning on doing PSLF. Do you know how it works? Would you be able to do both(have their loan repayment payments count as PSLF payments)?

It’s usually for 3-5 years.
it’s something you can negotiate. It’s always taxed so you have to have the taxes taken out up front. One of my attendings had them take the taxes out and then pay it directly to her instead of her loan provider and used the money to pay on her loans for that year. I also plan on doing PSLF if at all possible and taking the same route.

 

[deleted731525]

It’s usually for 3-5 years.
it’s something you can negotiate. It’s always taxed so you have to have the taxes taken out up front. One of my attendings had them take the taxes out and then pay it directly to her instead of her loan provider and used the money to pay on her loans for that year. I also plan on doing PSLF if at all possible and taking the same route.

Good to know, so just to make sure I'm not overlooking something. I looked at some job listings in my area and they are more or less offering 3-5 years of 50k repayment as well. So assuming the same deals are being offered in 4 years, thats 1 year of no payments(if you file this year and have 0 income), 3 more years of residency where our loan payments will be small due to having a resident's salary + potentially 5 years of loan payments that should cover what we owe on REPAYE even on an attending's salary. Only 1 year after that and we are home free? It sounds too good to be true. Am I missing something or making an error?

 

[Kardio]

@samac - thanks for doing this AMA!

I've read about psychiatry programs caring less about boards and more about personality/fit. Do you see yourself as a strong interviewer?

And, if you feel comfortable disclosing, have you previously done well in interviews (medical school, jobs, etc.)?

 

[samac]

Good to know, so just to make sure I'm not overlooking something. I looked at some job listings in my area and they are more or less offering 3-5 years of 50k repayment as well. So assuming the same deals are being offered in 4 years, thats 1 year of no payments(if you file this year and have 0 income), 3 more years of residency where our loan payments will be small due to having a resident's salary + potentially 5 years of loan payments that should cover what we owe on REPAYE even on an attending's salary. Only 1 year after that and we are home free? It sounds too good to be true. Am I missing something or making an error?

You got the gist of it. It’s a nice gig. I’m doing PAYE though because I can’t afford REPAYE in residency.

@samac - thanks for doing this AMA!

I've read about psychiatry programs caring less about boards and more about personality/fit. Do you see yourself as a strong interviewer?

And, if you feel comfortable disclosing, have you previously done well in interviews (medical school, jobs, etc.)?

Sure! I do see myself as a relatively strong interviewer. I’m pretty personable and it landed me a full ride to undergrad. Did fine interviewing for medical school I think, only had 1 job I kept through college as a server.
I think being able to connect with people is important in psychiatry so they’re looking for that. Honestly where I matched was my worst interview because it was my last. I was so burnt out at that point.

 

[Candidate2017]

Psych pays fairly well. I know it’s not ortho, but in Midwest cities starting pay is about 250k. If you’re willing to go to a rural area the offers I’ve heard of from residents is around 300k + 50k/year loan repayment.

$250k is usually the offer that employers start with. Average pay is higher than that. Then add at least another $50k if rural. There are also starting bonuses and extra for weekends and call, in addition to loan repayment. Subtract $50k-100k for academia.

 

[Candidate2017]

I also plan on doing PSLF if at all possible and taking the same route.

I don't think PSLF is worth it from a numbers and lifestyle perspective. Even the military's offer of $2k/month med school stipend + full med school tuition + $275k signon bonus for psychiatrists works out to be a net loss.

 

[samac]

I don't think PSLF is worth it from a numbers and lifestyle perspective. Even the military's offer of $2k/month med school stipend + full med school tuition + $275k signon bonus for psychiatrists works out to be a net loss.

Absolutely disagree. I’ll be 4 years into payments at the end of residency, my interest will continue to grow through that time, so I’ll have 6 years of higher attending payments.

 

[BiscoDisco]

Psych is a good gig. Fairly interesting, hands stay clean, home by 5:30 everyday, no call. Good pay, the biggest thing holding me back is my student loans.

Kaiser California starts at 300-350 depending on North vs South. Corrections gigs in the state pay 400. Locums offers are routinely 200+/hr. Pp insurance should easily net you 250/hr. Residents in my program moonlight at a facility and make 6k a weekend. There's no reason you couldn't easily make 350-400 working 40 hr weeks. If you want to work Ortho hours, the work is there to bring in 700 a year.

 

[ArdorAyurveda]

It really is a relief to hear that Step 1 isn't really that important for matching. Back to binge watching shows on Hulu. Hopefully quarantine will be lifted by the summer and I can spend the summer traveling instead of doing meh research.

 

[samac]

It really is a relief to hear that Step 1 isn't really that important for matching. Back to binge watching shows on Hulu. Hopefully quarantine will be lifted by the summer and I can spend the summer traveling instead of doing meh research.

I would say don’t blow off step 1, I think I would have been rolling up to my eyeballs with interviews If I didn’t have that failure. But in the end none of it mattered I guess, I got my number 1 that I wanted pretty much all along.

 

[Isoval]

I remember reading your posts about Level 1 failure some time ago.

It's wonderful that you ended up matching your number one; it's an inspiration for sure. Congratulations!

 

[skiracr]

So I've had numerous messages over the last couple of months about my experience applying psych and asking questions about the process. I'm always happy to share but I realize I'm repeating myself a lot, I have nothing to do but sit at home and wait for residency to start so I thought I'd start a thread where you all can publically ask about anything and I'll happily share. I'm an open book now that match has happened. I'm definitely not an expert, but I'm happy to help. If there's something private you want to ask about I definitely don't care if you still message me.

So for those of you who don't know here's my info
Level 1: Failure, retake >500. Have a good story here, I had a family member unexpectedly die at the end of second year.
Level 2: >500
PE: Pass
No STEP.
Took 1 extra year to graduate.
Generic volunteer work in pre-clinical years, a random officer in 1 club.
Volunteered in an OMT clinic and with NAMI through clinical years.
I got a pretty positive letter form my psych preceptor in 3rd year.
Did 4 AIs. First one at a program I wasn't really interested in to get the flow of an academic center. Next 3 worked hard, kicked ass, and matched one of them. I didn't get any letters from these as my timing was poor. The first rotation was really crappy and the attendings couldn't care less about the students so I didn't even try for a letter.
Interviewed at 9 programs. Matched my #1, midtier academic center in the Midwest.

This brought tears to my eyes and I'm usually not a crier. Congratulations you're amazing and you're giving me hope for my future.

 

[TruthHurtsDO]

So I'll add my input as someone who applied to Psych with high boards and good LORs, but failed to match despite getting positive feedback.

Psychiatry does not care significantly about your boards scores. It cares about whether or not you're an MD > US trained > have a certain personality and little about your boards because It doesn't really reflect upon how much psychiatry you know or whether or not you're going to be a component psychiatrist. Largely everything from medical school seems to be abandoned in psychiatry the moment you finish Step 3/COMLEX 3 and even CL psych barely understands medicine enough that many often ignore their recommendations or have them on for seemingly more of a courtesy. It's an insular field and they have their own predictors about whether or not you'll be a good psych from the interview or your experiences I imagine.

As a DO you need to be very very conscientious about where you apply and or rank. I believed that I worked hard during medical school and was intelligent and thus I wanted to get into very solid programs in a competitive area of the country. I had lived in the heartlands and I honestly felt like I was too far from family and didn't want to go back. When I checked many of the programs I interviewed at last year the amount of DOs in those program's classes I ranked above 6 could be counted on one hand. In the second half a few more and almost all were from programs local ex. a Virginia program took two vcom students.

That being said and at least to my story is there is a bright side to it. I soaped into a great internal medicine program. At first I was genuinely heart broken. But now I think I'm a lot more satisfied with my education and training. I feel like where as in my 4th year where I did a lot of psych rotations I learned truthfully very little and experienced little growth, I am growing a lot more.

I think overall as DOs you need to come to the reality that psych is probably more about whether or not you blend with the resident culture well or whether or not you applied and ranked enough community programs. And I think you need to acknowledge that you'll probably need to rank programs that you may not really love either if you really want to match.

This is amazing and our story is so insanely similar omg!! I want to apply to psych but I keep seeing that it’s getting more competitive. I had a level 1 failure, and I retook it and got a 489, and I want to take Step 1, but I’m scared. Do you know if we are required to send in our Step 1 scores if we don’t do well? I always heard that if we’re from DO schools, we’re only required to send in Comlex and don’t have to send Step if we did bad, but now I’m hearing that it’s mandatory to send in step if we sat for it, but would schools know if we took it if we just don’t send it? I can’t find a clear answer anywhere.

 

[ThatSerb]

My pre-clinical grades were very mediocre. I had a few C's (pass in most of the world now), few A's, mostly B average. None of the C's were ever mentioned and I really don't think anyone cares as it is so subjective between schools.
I just mean like soup kitchen stuff, trash clean-ups, recycling. Nothing extra special. It was also nothing that was brought up on the interview trail. The only thing specifically brought up was my work with NAMI and it was in passing. All I really did was deliver brochures to offices.

so you didnt talk about your grades, volunteering, or NAMI stuff. what did you talk about? is it like med school interviews but instead of "why medicine" its "why psych"?

 

[ThatSerb]

have a certain personality

any insight on this?

 

[samac]

so you didnt talk about your grades, volunteering, or NAMI stuff. what did you talk about? is it like med school interviews but instead of "why medicine" its "why psych"?

Most of my interviews were pretty conversational as psych is a conversational specialty. Talked a lot about why this program, why psych, trials in medical school and all that good stuff.

 

[samac]

Your avatar looks annoying. Is that you?

Lol cool troll.

 

[dial1010usa]

First of all congratulations!!! My psych rotation is next month. I think I'm gonna like psych as well. I think the most important part is if you are a people person, to listen to them. I can't wait this month to get over and to start next month.

 

[mwsapphire]

So, you matched mid tier university psych without research? That's so comforting bc I'm not sure i can get my hands on clinical research as an OMS I/ OMS II. I don't really want to do bench research in med school, the time commitment is too much for med school and it's not really something I'm that interested in.

 

[mwsapphire]

Lol cool troll.

Honestly bc your avatar is an actual person my mind's eye does imagine you look like her.

edit: obviously yes that person is trolling. I'm js.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

This is amazing and our story is so insanely similar omg!! I want to apply to psych but I keep seeing that it’s getting more competitive. I had a level 1 failure, and I retook it and got a 489, and I want to take Step 1, but I’m scared. Do you know if we are required to send in our Step 1 scores if we don’t do well? I always heard that if we’re from DO schools, we’re only required to send in Comlex and don’t have to send Step if we did bad, but now I’m hearing that it’s mandatory to send in step if we sat for it, but would schools know if we took it if we just don’t send it? I can’t find a clear answer anywhere.

Not sure if our stories are similar. I'd ask the OP.

 

[hallowmann]

...Largely everything from medical school seems to be abandoned in psychiatry the moment you finish Step 3/COMLEX 3 and even CL psych barely understands medicine enough that many often ignore their recommendations or have them on for seemingly more of a courtesy...

The rest of your post is fair and generally accurate. While medical school for the most part does a poor job of teaching psych, and much of general medicine is "abandoned" in psych training (you know like in literally every other specialty without a medicine foundation), your view of CL psych is not really fair nor accurate. It makes me think CL psych at your institution is pretty poor. Next time you feel like you're consulting psych out of courtesy, go ahead and save them the work of a useless consult.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

The rest of your post is fair and generally accurate. While medical school for the most part does a poor job of teaching psych, and much of general medicine is "abandoned" in psych training (you know like in literally every other specialty without a medicine foundation), your view of CL psych is not really fair nor accurate. It makes me think CL psych at your institution is pretty poor. Next time you feel like you're consulting psych out of courtesy, go ahead and save them the work of a useless consult.

Honestly I wouldn't consult half of the people I consult if my attendings didn't want it. And I also think that while I'm on consult services we are far too overconsulted for the most basic **** without any attempt at working things up.

Ironically after writing this the old psychiatrist actually got fired and got replaced by others. So the service is better and more streamlined and have actually helped with some folks.

 

[LimpSpatula]

Honestly I wouldn't consult half of the people I consult if my attendings didn't want it. And I also think that while I'm on consult services we are far too overconsulted for the most basic **** without any attempt at working things up.

Ironically after writing this the old psychiatrist actually got fired and got replaced by others. So the service is better and more streamlined and have actually helped with some folks.

You sound like me. Just done with it all lol. 3rd year IM resident?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

lol 2nd year haha. Like I love what I do. I just wish folks cared more.

You sound like me. Just done with it all lol. 3rd year IM resident?

 

[LimpSpatula]

lol 2nd year haha. Like I love what I do. I just wish folks cared more.

Which folks? The patients or doctors?