Matching Psych as a DO student

[yesIamSam]

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Hi everyone,
I'm an incoming first-year DO student with a strong interest in pursuing psychiatry. I’d like to start building a solid application early and was hoping to get some advice.
I’ve heard that psychiatry programs value long-term commitment and genuine interest in the field, so I’m considering volunteering a few hours per week at a behavioral health facility. Would that kind of experience be helpful, and how is it typically viewed by programs?
I’m not particularly drawn to research. Would it hurt my chances if I don’t have any significant research involvement? Or are there other ways to stand out?
Lastly, is there a reliable resource where I can find COMLEX Level 2 and/or Step 2 CK score averages for DO applicants matching into psychiatry?


Thanks in advance for your help! I really appreciate any guidance.

 

[pigsinacloth]

I am going to be honest with you I am not in psych and have no knowledge on this other than general stuff.

Work hard and be a good student. This will help you learn so you can be a good doctor and look good on rotations for LORs.

Depending on what school you go to they might have some people in the psych department that can give you insight on what to do to gain expirence and maybe connect you with upper classmen. this will very much be school dependent.

I think do a small research project if it's offered to you. It just helps you to check a box that some programs might like to see.

 

[slowthai]

I'm psych. That volunteering thing is exactly the kind of thing they like. Research is not necessary at all, it's just one way of checking the commitment to psych box, which you'd already be doing. Another more interesting (for you presumably) way to show commitment while providing fodder for interviews is to do multiple psych electives.

Oh yeah, we also don't really care about scores anywhere near as much as other fields. The formula to match is commitment to the field + strong narrative (PS + interview). That's it.

 

[Goro]

Hi everyone,
I'm an incoming first-year DO student with a strong interest in pursuing psychiatry. I’d like to start building a solid application early and was hoping to get some advice.
I’ve heard that psychiatry programs value long-term commitment and genuine interest in the field, so I’m considering volunteering a few hours per week at a behavioral health facility. Would that kind of experience be helpful, and how is it typically viewed by programs?
I’m not particularly drawn to research. Would it hurt my chances if I don’t have any significant research involvement? Or are there other ways to stand out?
Lastly, is there a reliable resource where I can find COMLEX Level 2 and/or Step 2 CK score averages for DO applicants matching into psychiatry?


Thanks in advance for your help! I really appreciate any guidance.

Make friends with your psych faculty, and network, network, network.

 

[PapaGuava]

Very attainable, go the extra mile with your rotations and schedule electives to get stronger experiences and hopefully letters of recommendation.