Institute of The Living Vs. U CONN vs. Yale

[wannabemusician]

What are the pros/cons of each? Any red flags?

Thanks,
Wannabe

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[sikegeek]

I interviewed at UConn. I liked the PD and the residents. Seemed like a fun bunch. The ER seemed like it needed updating. Maybe many places are like this, but the patient rooms in the ER are all divided by curtains. This wasn't the case at my home school, so that seemed like a negative. I think IM was done at another hospital, so that was a little weird. The only other negative was that I didn't really want to live in Hartford... (or whatever city that was.) Just didn't seem like a special place to live.

I canceled my interview at IOL because of not really liking CT, but I think I would have really liked the program and the grounds that the hospital is on seem beautiful.

Did not apply to Yale. No meaningful reason. I think I remember hearing some negative things though. You could do a search for the interview feedback from last year and find out.

 

[wannabemusician]

Thanks for the reply. Why didn't you like Hartford? Anything seem totally out of whack in terms of the education process?
thanks,
wannabe

 

[whopper]

Interviewed at UConn 4 years ago. Seemed good: facilities seemed good, residents seemed happy. They openly allowed me to talk to them and all of them said they'd do it again if they could turn back the clock.

 

[sikegeek]

Thanks for the reply. Why didn't you like Hartford? Anything seem totally out of whack in terms of the education process?
thanks,
wannabe

Well, I guess because there just wasn't anything special for me in Hartford. I wanted to be in New England, but I also wanted to live someplace pretty. 🙄 I know that sounds corny.
Plus it was complicated by not knowing what my husband would do there.

I can't think of anything out of whack with the educational process. Well, one thing I thought of- it interested me to know if any UConn students go into psych at UConn. I don't think there were any or had been any in the recent past.

At some places, like UMass, the program was full of former UMass students. UMass is in Worcester, which is probably even less of a desirable place to live than Hartford. So, that's something to think about.

 

[jay dub]

I did not interview at all three programs so I can't really directly compare. I think the call at IOL tends to be more humane than either UConn or Yale, I believe. Call is heavier (1st year is about q4, but weekday psych call is not overnight; 2nd year is 5 calls/month and again weekday call is not overnight) the first two years, but almost non-existent in 3rd and 4th year. Residents are a fun bunch, hang out together outside of work. I think, in general, IOL residents seem a bit happier than UConn. Lots of self-sufficient, diverse training opportunities at IOL, including research. Have C/L fellowship and child & adolescent fellowship.

UConn program seems to be more focused on public psychiatry, more biological. UConn is working on expanding some things in their program - just opened a child fellowship. Yale & UConn have the "university names" (although, in many psychiatry circles the IOL is well-known because it's one of the oldest psychiatric institutions in the country). Yale has lots of research opportunities and fellowships.

I think the three programs are distinctly different, so you just have to figure out what you are looking for in a program and see which one seems to be the best fit for you. Feel free to PM me if you have any more specific questions.

Good luck!!

 

[wannabemusician]

Thanks everyone for your candid responses.

Are there any residents out there that can comment to the ins/outs of the specific programs? Major benefits and deficits?

Thanks so much,
wannabe
😀

 

[wannabemusician]

Would love to hear some real input here....

Thanks,
Sean

 

[Doc Samson]

Interviewed at Yale way back when, loved the program and the PD. Might've been my first choice had I not had to be in Boston b/c of my wife. My dealings with their graduates have all been very positive. Strong in research and CA psych. Doesn't really seem to be much of a player on the CL scene. Didn't apply to the other two since I knew I wanted a career in academics and they seemed much less high-powered.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Would love to hear some real input here....

Thanks,
Sean

The problem with us giving our input, is that , as Doc Samson's post might illustrate, we are all looking for very different things in a residency. If you'll look back at some of the interview feedback threads from past years, you'll glean a few details, but keep in mind that what one resident finds ideal in a program, another will find unbearable. It's hard for folks on this board to give feedback , too, when we have no idea about what kind of residency you are looking for.

 

[wolf]

This reply may come a bit late. I'm a pg3 at IOL. i really like the program. here are the pluses: excellent psychotherapy training (couples, individual, groups, cbt, brief therapy, psychodynamic therapy),
good psychopharmacology training, good attendings that like to teach.(except for maybe 1 that wasn't very good)
nice residents. nice campus. administration is responsive to residents' needs.
the call schedule is great.
i would come to iol again if i had to choose.
minuses: call on medicine in pg1 sucks and u don't work enough with attendings on that rotation.

i know this about uconn: they don't get as much therapy training
yale: bigger.