Jeopardy: What every applicant needs to know

[2tall]

Looking for insight on questions to ask during interview season.

For those who've gone through the process...looking back at the programs you visited, what are some things you wish you'd looked further into?

For those currently getting there suits dry-cleaned...got any great, pressing questions for your interviewers?

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[DebDynamite]

This isn't an appropriate question to ask the PD, faculty, or perhaps during an interview with a resident: "What's the call schedule/vacation ?"

Also, I would try and figure out if you will receive exposure to C&A, geri, forensics, before applying to fellowships. This can turn out to be a big deal.

 

[atsai3]

Looking for insight on questions to ask during interview season.

For those who've gone through the process...looking back at the programs you visited, what are some things you wish you'd looked further into?

For those currently getting there suits dry-cleaned...got any great, pressing questions for your interviewers?

Wish I'd asked more questions about protected time, eg., for didactics, and how specifically that works. Also wish I'd asked more about PGY2-4 schedules and flexibility. Wish I hadn't wasted so much time looking stupid asking about biological-vs.-psychotherapeutic orientation (all programs say they are balanced, and all candidates when asked say they are looking for a well balanced program; it's a very uninformative dance).

If the program offers an option where you can request to be housed with one of the residents instead of a hotel and you can tolerate it (anxiety wise), then I would recommend doing it. Just another opportunity to pick up more data about the program and its residents.

-AT.

 

[atsai3]

This isn't an appropriate question to ask the PD, faculty, or perhaps during an interview with a resident: "What's the call schedule/vacation ?"

When I went through the process, I asked this question at all of my interviews where the vacation/leave/call policy was not specified in the materials handed out on the interview day. Didn't get any weird looks or responses from faculty or residents.

-AT.

 

[wolfvgang22]

I know it's "conventional wisdom" to not ask PDs or faculty about call schedules. So far I'm playing it safe and just asking residents myself.

Thinking out loud here, and I'm sure it will irritate the conformists (most of you):
I'm guessing this approach is so you don't appear lazy? I'm not a slacker, my previous performance proves that - and so they called me for an interview. I'm just trying to plan my life here - it's nice to know how often I will be home to tuck in the kids, etc. And besides, shouldn't the website have already spelled out the call schedule that residents have each year? I can understand losing points for not knowing something right on the residency web site.

Finally, shouldn't any PD worth his or her salt (ie; a decent human being) understand that this is important? Perhaps I don't want to work in a place ruled by people too busy/important to answer such a basic question during our appointment.
Again, just thoughts, I'm not telling anybody to run around and irritate PD's if asking the question about call is a crime on par with stealing the PD's favorite pen.

 

[DebDynamite]

For clarity, I mean don't make it the first thing you ask about, and if possible try and inquire when discussing the program with the interns and residents (on tour, at lunch etc--and if you never meet them that is a BAD sign) as opposed to faculty interviews. The PD often offers this information up during the interview without your having to ask. My PD did so. I do think that most programs have an assumption that you will have already looked at this on FREIDA and/or their web pages. So, just wanted folks to realize that FREIDA is only a ROT regarding these perks.

I don't think it's so much the question of being perceived as a "slacker" vs possibly raising the question of motivation behind choosing psychiatry. Just my thoughts.

The previous post about knowing your second (and sometimes third year) specifics is also quite right.

 

[Still Kickin]

Nice list of questions in this online article:
http://www.psych.org/MainMenu/Educa...ucationandTraining/psychmatch.aspx#Interviews

You might also like to check out:
(Questions are at the end. Just glanced at it so I don't know if they're different vs. the above article, or not.)
http://www.psychsign.org/ApplyingforResidency.pdf

 

[2tall]

Thanks for all the comments so far.

What's protected time?

 

[masterofmonkeys]

protected time is time for didactics/research/mentoring when you are completely excused from patient-care duties (i.e. do not have to respond to pages/calls).

 

[2tall]

thanks mom

 

[MBK2003]

I would ask
1) if they are doing any "innovative" things in the area of psychotherapy supervision - 2 way mirror, videotaping of sessions, etc.

2) typical types of psychotherapy patients in the 3rd year - there can be a huge difference between a caseload of chronic medicaid resident clinic patients and a predominantly undergraduate/graduate student and no insurance artists/writers caseload of therapy patients.

3) what kind of electives people are doing and how they find out or arrange those opportunities.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

I would ask
1) if they are doing any "innovative" things in the area of psychotherapy supervision - 2 way mirror, videotaping of sessions, etc.

2) typical types of psychotherapy patients in the 3rd year - there can be a huge difference between a caseload of chronic medicaid resident clinic patients and a predominantly undergraduate/graduate student and no insurance artists/writers caseload of therapy patients.

3) what kind of electives people are doing and how they find out or arrange those opportunities.

*smacks self on forehead* Thanks for that. Smooches. I never would have thought of asking that until you mentioned it. And psychotherapy training is a big priority for me.

 

[Doc Samson]

*smacks self on forehead* Thanks for that. Smooches. I never would have thought of asking that until you mentioned it. And psychotherapy training is a big priority for me.

In the same vein - how long do you carry your psychotherapy patients for? Seeing a patient for 3 years will teach you a lot more than seeing them for 1.