Invites?

[grishko2007]

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[spaslam]

American student at offshore school with no ecfmg (yet). Have interviewed at SUNY Upstate in Syracuse, KUMS-Wichita, UVa and VCU.

Interviews scheduled with UConn, Hartford Hospital (IOL), Yale, Miami and Creighton.

Waiting to hear from Albany, Univ. of South Carolina (Columbia), U of Florida, Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard South Shore. I have called or emailed these programs.

If I have not heard by now, should I assume no news is bad news?

 

[duneclimber]

Interview offers: U. Washington, Cincinnati, Med Coll of WI, U of WI, U of Michigan, Mayo, UC-San Diego, U Illinois-Chicago, Northwestern, Brown, Dartmouth, Maine, U South Carolina, U North Carolina, Med Coll of GA, Medical U. of South Carolina, UC-Davis, U New Mexico, Baylor, UC-San Francisco, Stanford, U. Maryland, U. Mass, U. Minnesota

Rejects: UC-Irvine, Columbia, Mass Gen, Cambridge, Colorado, UCLA-NPI

Waitlist: Emory

Didn't hear back: OSHU (Oregon), Cornell, Mt. Sinai, Yale, George Washington, Vanderbilt, Harvard Longwood, Johns Hopkins

 

[gardilimo]

this process is so random. how does one get interviews at ucsf, stanford, brown etc and get rejected from colorado, uc-i, etc? were you appalled duneclimber? or is there something i dont know about those programs or your app?

it just shows how truly random and subjective this process truly is...

differing opinions, anyone?

 

[duneclimber]

G~

I wasn't appalled. I got sick in the middle of med school and failed step 1. I took step 2 CK and CS early this year and improved step 2 score by 32 points over my step 1 score. For programs that have stringent cut offs for step 1, I was likely nixed early on. For those that read my entire app and saw that I had a solid amount of national/local leadership, research, great LORs, very good evals, decent grades, many overlooked the aforementioned red flag(s). I think that overall psychiatry is a very forgiving specialty when it comes to applicants that have struggled or come from non-traditional backgrounds. Hope that helps...

 

[atsai3]

it just shows how truly random and subjective this process truly is...

What does "subjective" mean in this context? The Match is what the name implies -- a matching of candidates to training programs. Candidates should be looking at programs that are a good 'fit', U.S. News and World Report be damned, and programs are doing the same. If a given candidate thinks that Program X is a good fit for her, who am I to tell her that she's being "subjective"? And likewise, if a given program thinks that Candidate Y is not a good fit for that program, who am I to call that program director "subjective"? Of course it's all "subjective", but that term ought not to be used in a disdainful or contemptuous manner. It's just what it is.

Random it is not. Subjective? Definitely.

-AT.

 

[goldengate]

For those that read my entire app and saw that I had a solid amount of national/local leadership, research, great LORs, very good evals, decent grades, many overlooked the aforementioned red flag(s). I think that overall psychiatry is a very forgiving specialty when it comes to applicants that have struggled or come from non-traditional backgrounds.

I had truly hoped that psych programs would, as you stated, be FORGIVING of my situation (75 on Step 1, 90 on Step 2, but 4th attempt) and READ MY ENTIRE APP. That has not been the case, however, as I applied to 54 programs and have received only 1 interview. ONE forgiving program, and FIFTY-THREE who do not know me beyond my USMLE transcript. Good grief

 

[Adam_K]

ONE forgiving program, and FIFTY-THREE who do not know me beyond my USMLE transcript. Good grief

ERAS filters are truly brutal, no question about it.

But, look at it from their point of view. All the programs I have interviewed at have received in excess of 200 (many 300) applications for at most 8 positions. How else would they differentiate between lots of equally qualified applicants?

That aside, don't give up. Keep calling programs and politely inquire about the possibility of an interview. People are bound to cancel theirs late in the season.

 

[gardilimo]

G~

I wasn't appalled. I got sick in the middle of med school and failed step 1. I took step 2 CK and CS early this year and improved step 2 score by 32 points over my step 1 score. For programs that have stringent cut offs for step 1, I was likely nixed early on. For those that read my entire app and saw that I had a solid amount of national/local leadership, research, great LORs, very good evals, decent grades, many overlooked the aforementioned red flag(s). I think that overall psychiatry is a very forgiving specialty when it comes to applicants that have struggled or come from non-traditional backgrounds. Hope that helps...

hey guys-
i did not mean to offend by any means or make you feel as if you had to prove yourself...i am just very confused by this process. i know the process can be and is subjective but i also think it may be very random as well...how much can a selection committee really 'get to know you', esp in the screening process, by quickly viewing your stats, your school, your cv. i think you can chalk up a lot of randomness to the picture, like hey--i went to so and so university as an undergrad too, pick him... or my son likes windsurfing too, pick her...especially when they have to go thru up to 600 apps at some of these places. in duneclimbers situation, it was surprising bc from what i have read on this site, someplace like ucsf is much more selective and non-subjective than irvine. just my food for thought...

 

[duneclimber]

No offense taken. I agree that there have been some surprises this interview season, good and bad. I think that we will all be superstars for surviving the process, personally... Thank goodness for a bit of holiday respite coming up! Best of luck to all

 

[grishko2007]

When I really stopped to consider my overall interests both inside and outside of psychiatry, I thought the process actually made perfect sense. I applied to some of the big name institutions and some of the lesser known programs, and was accepted by about half of both, like Dune Climber. I wasn't too surprised by the ones that rejected me in the end, because I knew deep down from the outset that my interests in them had less to do with their programs and more to do with other considerations (friends/family in the area, cool city, big name reputation, etc.) If you're interested in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, Wash U, UW and Pitt would probably be less interested in you than say, Columbia, Cornell and Emory. If you're a biological researcher Pitt and UCSD would probably gobble you up. If you're interested in CAM Emory, UCSF and Duke would love you. If you have expressed a strong committment to community/public psych NYU, MGH and UCSF would probably want to meet you. ETC.

My Step scores were not the best either, and I'm not AOA, so I think this is really what it comes down to in the end--whether or not your expressed areas of interest within psychiatry match up with what a program has to offer--especially if you don't have a perfect academic record. I hope this helps....

 

[PsychMD2100]

I've noticed that culture has played a lot into the interview process. When I refer to culture, I'm not necessarily talking about racial/ethnic culture. Instead, I've noticed that the socioeconomic culture of the program have weighed heavily in my experiences.

Some places have distinct leanings toward caring for the indigent/disadvantaged versus the wealthy/influential. As much as I've tried to be as neutral as possible, it seems to have played a significant part in each of my interviews. I guess my interviewers have gleaned from my application what they believe my socioeconomic leaning is likely to be.

 

[jacejergens]

It really is a challenge figuring out ERAS. The filters are not friendly.

 

[dannyinaustin]

Invites: UTMB, Emory, Vanderbilt, UTSW, Baylor, UCSF, UCSD, Columbia, Yale and Stanford.

I'll be attending all of these. And have already completed 3 of the above.

 

[sga430]

When I really stopped to consider my overall interests both inside and outside of psychiatry, I thought the process actually made perfect sense. I applied to some of the big name institutions and some of the lesser known programs, and was accepted by about half of both, like Dune Climber. I wasn't too surprised by the ones that rejected me in the end, because I knew deep down from the outset that my interests in them had less to do with their programs and more to do with other considerations (friends/family in the area, cool city, big name reputation, etc.) If you're interested in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, Wash U, UW and Pitt would probably be less interested in you than say, Columbia, Cornell and Emory. If you're a biological researcher Pitt and UCSD would probably gobble you up. If you're interested in CAM Emory, UCSF and Duke would love you. If you have expressed a strong committment to community/public psych NYU, MGH and UCSF would probably want to meet you. ETC.

My Step scores were not the best either, and I'm not AOA, so I think this is really what it comes down to in the end--whether or not your expressed areas of interest within psychiatry match up with what a program has to offer--especially if you don't have a perfect academic record. I hope this helps....

i believe it is possible for a 4th year to have an interest but I feel it is too early for most of us to realistically have an unwavering interest. i think about half of those interested in child psych opt out eventually. i feel lucky to know 110% i want to be a psychiatrist. at this stage i feel we dont have enough exposure to make a choice. how many 4th year med students, let alone residents have exposure in neuropsychiatry or eating disorders?

 

[grishko2007]

That's true. Med students really have very little time to figure things out careerwise, but have to come across like we do.

 

[dannyinaustin]

This is becoming expensive. May have to cancel a couple of my invites. Time to prioritize, I guess.