IMG interested to match into psych. applying for 2014, but graduated in 2011.

[Mirron]

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i have an OK step 1 score 229, and will be taking step 2 soon. i'm aiming to score higher. my red flags seem to be:

-3 years between graduation and residency (most of the 1.5 years in 3rd world countries abroad, volunteering) Next 1.5 years I plan to complete step 2, and do externships, and volunteer more.
-took a leave of absence in medical school (grandmother diagnosed with MDS, and in she ended up in hospice care)
- no USCE. will be doing externships, but they're not the same

If I can get a good score on Step 2, and Strong LOR's, would I be set for interviews for the 2014 cycle? Or is this too high of a mountain to climb? I don't have publications or research. I have a case study in Psychiatry that was published, but that is all.

Was also wondering how strong a volunteer commitment for 1.5 years, in a hospice care setting would be? I enjoyed my rotation in hospice care during medical school, and its something I'd like to continue doing. Is a strong commitment in hospice care, as a volunteer, something that would strengthen my application as a whole?

Thank you.

If I'm not competitive enough for Psychiatry, my second choice is Family Medicine. From what I've heard, both are becoming more and more competitive. I feel I simply cannot afford to not match in 2014, since I've taken too much time between medical school and residency.

 

[splik]

Yes You should absolutely apply next year having taken all the USMLEs including step 3. Don't delay anymore. You haven't said where (in what country) you went to medical school or why you are currently unemployed or not in training. You should ideally get some sort of job somewhere. You need to demonstrate a commitment and interest in psychiatry in your application. You need to obtain strong letters of recommendation in psychiatry and build human capital in terms of connections for people who will advocate for you. Your step 1 score is above the average for psychiatry, and above the cut off for all if not most programs.

Different people will have different takes on the hospice care volunteering thing. I would not really place much importance on it. I usually ignore all of that guff on the application and instead focus on the LoRs and actual achievements of the applicant, things that are more tangible. Are you interested in hospice and palliative medicine? If so then it may be good to get some experience in that and you could explore your interests in the psychosocial aspects of end of life care, maybe even get involved in some research or quality improvement project. It is possible to train in palliative medicine through psychiatry and is something few are interested in so would make you stand out.

Psychiatry is not a competitive match. If you pass all your boards comfortably, get good LoRs and demonstrate genuine commitment and dedication to a career in psychiatry in your application, and are not too fussy about where you end up in the country you can probably match into a decent program.

 

[splik]

so it looks like you scored 209 not 229 on step 1 that does make a difference I think. It looks like you went to medical school in Poland. It is not clear if you are Polish or went to Poland to med school are are from a different country (the latter is more negative). You were advised on another thread you need a ridiculously high step 2, that is probably an exaggeration but you do need a more solid score. Nevertheless if you can get some strong US letters and are actually interested and have aptitude for a career in psychiatry then you might get something. Do that Internship in Ireland if you can.

 

[Mirron]

thanks for the reply!

the first post was actually the typo, was half a sleep when i wrote it. i scored a 229 on step 1, which i do feel comfortable about.

do you really think i should do the internship in ireland? it starts in 2013, but i was under the impression that it wouldn't be a good thing in the eyes of PD's. Wouldn't 2013 be spent better by doing externships and gaining as much US experience as possible, and securing LOR's? staying here, to show that i'm motivated to start a career in the States?

and you're correct. i am not polish, but did attend a polish medical school. i can see how that will be perceived as negative. i hope to use my personal statement, to honestly say why i decided to study abroad.

 

[splik]

you should be doing any externships now before starting an internship. july 2013 onwards is too late really to be getting LoRs etc and hoping to secure necessary experience. The other thing you could try is there are bound to be some standalone F1 jobs in the UK that are vacant that you could apply for. It just looks terrible if you've been unemployed for 3 years. All I would think if I saw you're application is unemployed for 3 years, completely deskilled, possibly unemployable. Volunteering full time is not a plus it just looks like you can't get a job.

It will be exceedingly hard the longer you wait to get back into clinical medicine. Get a job as soon as you can anywhere.