Is it possible for me to switch from radiology to psychiatry?

[covid20222]

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Im a pgy1 diagnostic rads resident. Looking to switch to psychiatry. Was torn between the two M3 year of med school and I really miss seeing patients. My stats are competetive for rads (USMD school, step 240s, 10+ research (not psych), 1 LOR from a psychiatrist)

Do I have any chance of matching into psychiatry? Will i be a competitive applicant?

Thanks

 

[liquidshadow22]

Yes. Many pgy2 openings at yale, cornell, Hopkins, among others

 

[covid20222]

Yes. Many pgy2 openings at yale, cornell, Hopkins, among others

Oh wow. Where do I find these pgy2 openings. I was even open to applying to pgy1 positions.

 

[TexasPhysician]

You should apply to the pgy-2 programs. I’d start calling them soon.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Are you in a categorical program, or did you do a TY before Rads?
We transferred in a Rads resident who got credit for their whole PGY1 year.

Oh wow. Where do I find these pgy2 openings. I was even open to applying to pgy1 positions.

Start calling programs of interest to you. Most transfers happen outside of a formal application process. Get your current PD on board ASAP, as they'll have to vouch for you.

 

[covid20222]

Are you in a categorical program, or did you do a TY before Rads?
We transferred in a Rads resident who got credit for their whole PGY1 year.


Start calling programs of interest to you. Most transfers happen outside of a formal application process. Get your current PD on board ASAP, as they'll have to vouch for you.

Im in a categorical program so thinking about finishing the year and applying to psych programs this cycle. Then either starting as a pgy1 or as pgy2 if I can find pgy2 spot. I feel like my chances would be higher going for pgy1 spots than pgy2 spots because who even know how many pgy2 spots there are and the process for it outside the match seems like its likely to get a spot somewhere.

 

[calvinhobbes]

Yes. Many pgy2 openings at yale, cornell, Hopkins, among others

Curious, why are there spots open at such big name places?

 

[liquidshadow22]

Curious, why are there spots open at such big name places?

I think it's because they have the funding to add additional residents for 3 years of training and so they recruit a pgy2 each year. I think the programs view it as a chance to recruit from other specialities because there are a lot of individuals who switch into psychiatry after intern year. But honestly I don't know the exact reason for why this is present in psych.

 

[calvinhobbes]

Very interesting, cool thx!

 

[TexasPhysician]

Im in a categorical program so thinking about finishing the year and applying to psych programs this cycle. Then either starting as a pgy1 or as pgy2 if I can find pgy2 spot. I feel like my chances would be higher going for pgy1 spots than pgy2 spots because who even know how many pgy2 spots there are and the process for it outside the match seems like its likely to get a spot somewhere.

You probably have better odds of landing a PGY-2 spot due to funding issues. Radiology and Psychiatry get you 4 years of funding once you start. You will have done 1 year of rads, so you have 3 years of full funding left. There are dozens of programs that will auto screen you out for PGY1 slots due to funding issues. The better programs specifically want good transfer candidates to take pgy-2 slots which is why they are designed to be available.

 

[Lexanoob]

I think it's because they have the funding to add additional residents for 3 years of training and so they recruit a pgy2 each year. I think the programs view it as a chance to recruit from other specialities because there are a lot of individuals who switch into psychiatry after intern year. But honestly I don't know the exact reason for why this is present in psych.

My program always recruits for 1-2 pgy-2 residents and it seems to be based on how many people fast-track into child psychiatry.

 

[covid20222]

My program always recruits for 1-2 pgy-2 residents and it seems to be based on how many people fast-track into child psychiatry.

Im trying to find a list of pgy2 offering programs and am having trouble. Would really apprecite if if you could name some! Thanks

 

[covid20222]

You probably have better odds of landing a PGY-2 spot due to funding issues. Radiology and Psychiatry get you 4 years of funding once you start. You will have done 1 year of rads, so you have 3 years of full funding left. There are dozens of programs that will auto screen you out for PGY1 slots due to funding issues. The better programs specifically want good transfer candidates to take pgy-2 slots which is why they are designed to be available.

I'm a little confused. Ive been looking at past threads and have read that people have switched from other specialties into pgy1 psych positions. Im guessing there wasnt any issue with funding for them? Also my categorical DR program is 5 years total, so Im assuming it gets me 5 years of funding total but idk. I guess the best thing would be to obtain a PGY2 spot now outside the match. But if im unable to ill apply to pgy1 spots.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I'm a little confused. Ive been looking at past threads and have read that people have switched from other specialties into pgy1 psych positions. Im guessing there wasnt any issue with funding for them? Also my categorical DR program is 5 years total, so Im assuming it gets me 5 years of funding total but idk. I guess the best thing would be to obtain a PGY2 spot now outside the match. But if im unable to ill apply to pgy1 spots.

My mistake. Thought DR was 4 years. It’s much easier to switch from a specialty with more years of funding to fewer years of funding after 1 year. You’ll still be more competitive as a PGY-2 applicant as there are fewer good applicants for those positions.

 

[aim-agm]

Im trying to find a list of pgy2 offering programs and am having trouble. Would really apprecite if if you could name some! Thanks

List of Programs With PGY2 Positions

At the beginning of the past cycle I went through every programs site to see which explicitly offered PGY2 positions. Below is the list of places that did, hopefully it helps people who are trying to get into psych. The list is not entirely accurate as I believe several programs (e.g...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Not a complete list, but it's a start. Those are only programs that consistently have positions, many others have ones on a more spontaneous basis.

 

[FlowRate]

Not sure where you're located OP but BWH and I think also BIDMC psych have each added people both from other specialties in their affiliated hospitals and also from outside. You could start by emailing their PD's.

 

[ksharp33]

You probably have better odds of landing a PGY-2 spot due to funding issues. Radiology and Psychiatry get you 4 years of funding once you start. You will have done 1 year of rads, so you have 3 years of full funding left. There are dozens of programs that will auto screen you out for PGY1 slots due to funding issues. The better programs specifically want good transfer candidates to take pgy-2 slots which is why they are designed to be available.

I believe the issue of funding is a bit overstated on these forums. I know several people who have switched to other specialties, even specialties with longer training periods than their initial specialty and this has never come up. There are people who go on to do an entirely different residency after completing their first residency. One of my friends even asked the admin at a program he was switching into about the funding issue and they were unaware that it was even an issue. Point being, it did not even play a role in their decision. Residency spots can be funded in more than one way and are not necessarily all completely funded by Medicare. As an applicant, I do not think this is something you have to worry about and it is not something in your control anyway. The main advantage of transferring into a PGY-2 spot would be the time saved in terms of total training.

Also, as mentioned Radiology is 5 years total (4 years of rads + a prelim year), so it would be non-issue in this case anyway.

 

[Attending1985]

I believe the issue of funding is a bit overstated on these forums. I know several people who have switched to other specialties, even specialties with longer training periods than their initial specialty and this has never come up. There are people who go on to do an entirely different residency after completing their first residency. One of my friends even asked the admin at a program he was switching into about the funding issue and they were unaware that it was even an issue. Point being, it did not even play a role in their decision. Residency spots can be funded in more than one way and are not necessarily all completely funded by Medicare. As an applicant, I do not think this is something you have to worry about and it is not something in your control anyway. The main advantage of transferring into a PGY-2 spot would be the time saved in terms of total training.

Also, as mentioned Radiology is 5 years total (4 years of rads + a prelim year), so it would be non-issue in this case anyway.

Yes I switched from a shorter residency and funding was never mentioned.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

There are many programs that get very little CMS money