Psych Interest Groups

[Suenya]

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I'm one of the officers running our school's psych interest group next year. I'm doing it because I think it'll be fun and break up the monotony of the preclinical years (I've been bored alot this year). In the end it doesn't matter, but I was wondering if this is looked on positively by residency programs (either in general or academic vs non-academic, if there is a difference). It would be an added bonus because I don't think I am going to be doing any research over the summer this year, but mainly I just think it will be fun.

Thanks!

And, I guess while I'm asking random questions: Would philosophy publications (within bioethics or, less likely I imagine, within metaphysics) be a positive, negative, or neutral?

 

[nitemagi]

Interest group - positive.

Philosophy pubs - probably neutral.

 

[notdeadyet]

Interest group - positive.

Philosophy pubs - probably neutral.

Interesting. I think my vote would go the opposite way.

I don't think anyone talks up or talks to SIG leadership roles. But I think any publication from a peer-reviewed or respectable journal (i.e.: not campus published) would be an interesting item for discussion.

 

[nitemagi]

I'm just thinking retrospectively when I saw both areas this last year on applications. Neither were deal-makers or breakers. Neither factored in really at all in my recommending an interview or ranking. The interest group just seemed to show a longer term interest in the field, rather than people who came upon it as an afterthought or as a safe choice. The non-scientific publications were at most a random conversation topic during an interview itself.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

One thing those philosophy pubs will do for you is help you identify like-minded people on the interview trail. You may find that you develop that "connection" with an attending somewhere, and it might make a program more attractive to you and vice versa. It all comes down to appropriately displaying YOUR unique interests and skill sets.

Also, if you do any presenting, conferences, etc. before getting into the application process, it's likely to help you identify programs and people that you'll want to get a closer look at down the road. So everything's valuable, even if it's not a deal-breaker/maker.

 

[235750]

I think the answer to your question might depend on what your article was about. I wrote about healthcare practitioners' right to abstain from a medically indicated procedure/medication because of their morality. Basically, I said they shouldn't, and that doctors/pharmicists should not be allowed to impose their views at the expense of a pt's quality of life.

I don't list that publication anymore because it got me into trouble during med school interviews. I would try my best to keep the talk abstract, but as soon as the interviewer would involve him/herself, it was all down hill. So, judge for yourself if the topic is controversial and omit accordingly.

Good luck with your interest group!