Picking Psychiatry 4th year elective

[combatwombat]

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I had never planned on going into Psych, but I liked my third year core rotation so much that I am now considering it. I have two choices for electives I can take before we have to decide on applying to residencies. They are Emergency and Outpatient Psych, and Inpatient Consult Psych.

Which would give me a better feel for the field of Psychiatry, and prepare me for residency? Which would be better for getting into a more competitive Psych residency?

Any advice would be much appreciated

 

[st2205]

Emergency and outpatient psych, are you saying that's one rotation? If so, I'd go for that. With regard to the second question, it doesn't matter.

 

[Leo Aquarius]

Most psychiatry as it's practiced in the USA is outpatient. Too bad medical students don't really get this exposure.

To be competitive, consider inpatient. Inpatient psychiatry is something I was asked about on the interview trail, as in "Have you done any inpatient psychiatry?" And I interviewed at mostly big name programs like Stanford, UCLA, Harvard (I skipped over the entire state of New York).\

Welcome to psychiatry! and congrats on your new direction. I think you will find it very rewarding.

 

[combatwombat]

Emergency and outpatient psych, are you saying that's one rotation?

Yes it is one rotation

 

[combatwombat]

Most psychiatry as it's practiced in the USA is outpatient. Too bad medical students don't really get this exposure.

To be competitive, consider inpatient. Inpatient psychiatry is something I was asked about on the interview trail, as in "Have you done any inpatient psychiatry?"

Yes, I had 3 weeks of inpatient, and they were probably the most fun weeks of my 3rd year. The atmosphere of the inpatient psych unit kind of reminds me of the ED.

 

[mkeguy]

do the ER/outpatient. consults can be a weird mix of managing personality disorders and delirium based on what hospital youre at. ER should be a lot of fun (i did that rotation as a 4th year student). outpatient can be a little like youre a third-wheel depending on the attending.