Matching psych as an IMG/Current transitional year resident? advice much appreciated!

[coffeenut0]

US-IMG (non carib) currently in a TY. applying to psych this cycle (& IM backup. but my heart is in psych). I have a psych elective set up for september and am trying to arrange for 1 psych away around oct/nov.

not much research yet, currently involved in 2 papers with an attending from my university (so it wont be a US pub)

Step scores are 240/242. Graduated in march so no gap between my education. intend to give step 3 by jul/aug.

is psych doable? i would be ok with any low tier programs. hoping for northeast (would kill for nyc) but ok with anywhere tbh. if anyone also has any tips on building up my application or doing well on interviews, i would really appreciate it.

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[psyguru]

Other backups are neuro and later do the fellowship in behavioral neurology, developmental disorders or brain injury medicine. Also after one year IM you can transfer to pgy2 pscyh or neuro. Pgy2 is not competitive. Go to residency swap and you can swap with someone possibly.

 

[Old&InTheWay]

Another backup is Peds —-> PPPP. It’s six years in total but you come out board eligible in Peds, Gen psych, and CAP.

 

[coffeenut0]

Another backup is Peds —-> PPPP. It’s six years in total but you come out board eligible in Peds, Gen psych, and CAP.

Other backups are neuro and later do the fellowship in behavioral neurology, developmental disorders or brain injury medicine. Also after one year IM you can transfer to pgy2 pscyh or neuro. Pgy2 is not competitive. Go to residency swap and you can swap with someone possibly.

appreciate the info, and will look more into both of these options.

i was also hoping that, besides going through different backups, i could get some information/advice on what i can do to match psych itself/what my chances will be/places i should look into that are more likely to take me.

thanks again

 

[Mass Effect]

What you can do to match psych is to apply to as many programs as you can and be realistic about your chances. Be prepared to answer why you went IMG (where did you go if not Carrib)? Why psych? Any red flags during school?

 

[splik]

I wouldn't do step 3 so early in intern yr. Do it a bit later. It doesn't matter if you don't need an H1b visa. Apply for PGY-2 and PGY-1 spots in psychiatry. please read the multiple prior threads about PGY-2 spots. They are far less competitive to get than PGY-1 spots. The only things you can do now is to do as well as an intern as possible as you will need a strong letter from your program director. You should also have 2 US LoRs from psychiatrists. It's good that you are doing an elective in september. I'm not sure I would bother doing an away as an intern as it is more likely to hurt (it's unlikely you are going to be up to scratch at a different institution compared to the current interns unless the program really blows). I'm assuming you went to med school somewhere in the indian subcontinent since you used the phrase "give step 3" whereas in the US people say they take exams. If you did not do an US psych electives as a med student, I think people are going to be skeptical that you wanted to do psychiatry. So I'm assuming this was something new and you didn't apply for psych positions last yr.

 

[coffeenut0]

I wouldn't do step 3 so early in intern yr. Do it a bit later. It doesn't matter if you don't need an H1b visa. Apply for PGY-2 and PGY-1 spots in psychiatry. please read the multiple prior threads about PGY-2 spots. They are far less competitive to get than PGY-1 spots. The only things you can do now is to do as well as an intern as possible as you will need a strong letter from your program director. You should also have 2 US LoRs from psychiatrists. It's good that you are doing an elective in september. I'm not sure I would bother doing an away as an intern as it is more likely to hurt (it's unlikely you are going to be up to scratch at a different institution compared to the current interns unless the program really blows). I'm assuming you went to med school somewhere in the indian subcontinent since you used the phrase "give step 3" whereas in the US people say they take exams. If you did not do an US psych electives as a med student, I think people are going to be skeptical that you wanted to do psychiatry. So I'm assuming this was something new and you didn't apply for psych positions last yr.

since im in a TY, i dont actually work with my PD directly that much. The service he is on (FM) only has TYs rotate there for a month, and I think mine is scheduled later in the year. Would a letter from him still matter/be weighed heavily? What would it even say?

I did not apply to psych last year. Had several formative experiences between january & today that have made me feel very adamant & passionate about psych.

Additionally, since my psych rotation is in sept, i will likely not have my LORs until end of sept/early oct. Will submitting the LORs later than sept 15th affect me too negatively?

Thanks for your response man. super appreciate it

 

[mm45]

As another TY applicant who will be applying to psychiatry, will PGY-2 positions be available through ERAS? Or, should one have LORs etc ready in an outside file to send through email to programs when the time comes?

 

[coffeenut0]

you are required to have a letter from your PD. it can include quotes from your rotation evaluations and must say you are in good standing. You can submit 3 letters with your application and then submit a 4th from that september elective later. most PGY-2 spots are not in the match. It might disadvantage you a bit for PGY-1 spots not having all the letters in but shouldn't matter much for PGY-2 spots. Also some spots arise later in the year due to people dying/quitting/switching programs or specialties etc

thanks again for the response. I just want to clarify- ill have a letter from my PD re: being in good standing, etc. but it wont count as one of my 4 LORs right?