Late switch to psych question

[Second Doctor]

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Hi,

I'm a fourth year med student who very recently (and after much introspection) decided to switch to psychiatry. As I was already fully applied to radiology (yes, I know it's a big-time switch in career path), I have the following things finished:

ERAS (of course)
More than enough non-psych/non-radiology letters
Applications to (and some interview offers from) prelim IM and transitional years (required for radiology)

Now I find myself scrambling to:

Rework my personal statement to reflect my interest in psychiatry/reasons for my switch, etc. - then having my adviser proofread and get back to me and then polishing it off
Get two psych LORs in ASAP - the letter writers have agreed, it's now a matter of them writing them
Keep up with studying for CK
Keep up with my medicine sub-I rotation work

So, my question is:

If all of this stuff is not done by Nov.1 (dean's letter release day), how badly will this hurt my number of interview offers? I know all the programs I will be applying to claim to have deadlines well past Nov. 1, but do they really d/l and go over new completed apps after this dean's letter "deadline?" I can perhaps see myself getting the personal statement done for Nov. 1 - this depends a lot on how much editing I need to do after my adviser reviews it as well as my sub-I workload. As for the letters - obviously beyond my control (other than gentle reminders 🙂 ).

I've already cancelled my radiology interviews. I'm keeping my prelim/transitional year interviews as back up just in case (I need *some* job in case this application is truly too late).

Anyone with an answer to this question or other advice? It would be appreciated greatly.

Thank you

 

[manwhoisthursdy]

Hi,

I'm a fourth year med student who very recently (and after much introspection) decided to switch to psychiatry. As I was already fully applied to radiology (yes, I know it's a big-time switch in career path), I have the following things finished:

ERAS (of course)
More than enough non-psych/non-radiology letters
Applications to (and some interview offers from) prelim IM and transitional years (required for radiology)

Now I find myself scrambling to:

Rework my personal statement to reflect my interest in psychiatry/reasons for my switch, etc. - then having my adviser proofread and get back to me and then polishing it off
Get two psych LORs in ASAP - the letter writers have agreed, it's now a matter of them writing them
Keep up with studying for CK
Keep up with my medicine sub-I rotation work

So, my question is:

If all of this stuff is not done by Nov.1 (dean's letter release day), how badly will this hurt my number of interview offers? I know all the programs I will be applying to claim to have deadlines well past Nov. 1, but do they really d/l and go over new completed apps after this dean's letter "deadline?" I can perhaps see myself getting the personal statement done for Nov. 1 - this depends a lot on how much editing I need to do after my adviser reviews it as well as my sub-I workload. As for the letters - obviously beyond my control (other than gentle reminders 🙂 ).

I've already cancelled my radiology interviews. I'm keeping my prelim/transitional year interviews as back up just in case (I need *some* job in case this application is truly too late).

Anyone with an answer to this question or other advice? It would be appreciated greatly.

Thank you

No magic advice for you, just this: apply to a larger # of programs, and you'll be more likely to get interviews. As interview slots fill up you may have less of a pick, and may get offered specific days when others cancel ... you may also have to choose between later (i.e. January) dates.

Second piece of advice: get your personal statement in soon. I was offered interviews based upon personal statement and CAF/CV alone. As my LORs came in, I got a few more invites, but not all programs wait for that.

Best of luck to you.

 

[golfpropsychguy]

No magic advice for you, just this: apply to a larger # of programs, and you'll be more likely to get interviews. As interview slots fill up you may have less of a pick, and may get offered specific days when others cancel ... you may also have to choose between later (i.e. January) dates.

Second piece of advice: get your personal statement in soon. I was offered interviews based upon personal statement and CAF/CV alone. As my LORs came in, I got a few more invites, but not all programs wait for that.

Best of luck to you.

a lot of programs have already maxed on interview dates so by the time you get the app in there may not be much left to pick from.

 

[billypilgrim37]

I'm keeping my prelim/transitional year interviews as back up just in case (I need *some* job in case this application is truly too late).

A prelim/transition year is a great option. There are a surprisingly large number of programs (even some pretty well known ones) with planned pgy-2 positions. You may be better off simply pursuing one of these programs rather than be faced with limited options this late in the cycle. Try to get 2 months of neuro during your prelim year, and you'll be nearly on track with your psych colleagues as a pgy-2.