Is there any benefit to going to a research-heavy program if you don't want to do research?

[chajjohnson]

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I'm debating between a more prestigious program with tons of research funding vs a less prestigious program with less research. The more prestigious program seems more rigorous in terms of hours (call all 4 years, etc) and is further from home. The less prestigious one is much more lifestyle friendly and also much closer to family and friends. I am interested in doing some research during residency, but I'm fairly certain I don't want to commit to a full-blown academic career and all the grant and proposal writing that comes along with it.

Is there any benefit to going to a more prestigious residency program and doing a bit of research, maybe even a research track, if you don't want to into academics? I may want to do a fellowship later on, but I feel like almost every psych fellowship is non-competitive enough that a research track isn't necessary.

 

[Amygdarya]

Research track is for people committed to a primarily research career. Doing a research track when you have no intention of staying in academia, writing grants etc is: 1) a loss of clinical raining opportunities for you because of dedicated research time and 2) a waste of program resources and NIH finding (if any) that could have been used by someone actually planning a research career instead.

Research is many different things. If you're interested, you can do case series and chart review based research at any program if you're motivated.

 

[Celexa]

I'm debating between a more prestigious program with tons of research funding vs a less prestigious program with less research. The more prestigious program seems more rigorous in terms of hours (call all 4 years, etc) and is further from home. The less prestigious one is much more lifestyle friendly and also much closer to family and friends. I am interested in doing some research during residency, but I'm fairly certain I don't want to commit to a full-blown academic career and all the grant and proposal writing that comes along with it.

Is there any benefit to going to a more prestigious residency program and doing a bit of research, maybe even a research track, if you don't want to into academics? I may want to do a fellowship later on, but I feel like almost every psych fellowship is non-competitive enough that a research track isn't necessary.

There is another variable you don't mention above, which is that if you plan to stay in one area long-term doing residency there will give you a greater 'in' when it comes to finding attending jobs. We are fortunate in psych that the job market has a lot of geographic flexibility to it, but you're always going to have a leg up in the area where you train.

There may be reasons to pursue the more prestigious program for reasons other than research--if you feel you fit in better with the culture/residents, if you think you'll get better training, if they have more opportunities in subspecialty areas you may want to pursue, if it's an area you want to live eventually, etc, etc.

Research tracks are for people who are seriously considering a research-based academic career. If you don't love research, and you aren't interested in the grant writing/applying/rejection/rewriting grind, it's a waste of your time and the university's resources as mentioned above. It's also likely to make you completely miserable by taking you away from other training opportunities you would actually enjoy. Assuming you're talking about two academic programs, albeit one with more prestige, you're still going to be able to be involved in research as much or as little as you want to.

 

[Doc1401]

I'm debating between a more prestigious program with tons of research funding vs a less prestigious program with less research. The more prestigious program seems more rigorous in terms of hours (call all 4 years, etc) and is further from home. The less prestigious one is much more lifestyle friendly and also much closer to family and friends. I am interested in doing some research during residency, but I'm fairly certain I don't want to commit to a full-blown academic career and all the grant and proposal writing that comes along with it.

Is there any benefit to going to a more prestigious residency program and doing a bit of research, maybe even a research track, if you don't want to into academics? I may want to do a fellowship later on, but I feel like almost every psych fellowship is non-competitive enough that a research track isn't necessary.

This may or may not help you but I know a guy who finished residency at a county hospital and is making $500,000 a year and I also know a person who graduated from a very prestigious program making $150,000 a year and has to rent a one bedroom apartment to pay off loans. The latter person was obsessed with prestige but is now struggling to even find someone who wants to date him.

 

[wolfvgang22]

Do the second program near your friends and family and enjoy your life. Don't worry about prestige, you won't miss anything unless you want to do a lot of research, and maybe not even then. I did residency at a county hospital university affiliated program, then fellowship at a highly prestigous academic program. I actually had more opportunities to do clinical research at the county hospital, because there was less infighting among academics competing for "prestige" and research dollars and time. Fellows and residents were used to do all the clinical work at the more prestigous program because faculty wanted to maximize time spent on getting grants and doing their own research. Zero chance of being first author.