Psych to Neuro Residency

[friendlygiant]

Hi all!

Near the end of PGY-1, Is it possible to switch from a psych to neuro residency? I know the IM experience in neuro pgy-1 is >>> psych, but are there cases where the psych resident can get into neuro residency and still finish in 3 years?

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[mrbreakfast]

Looking at the ACGME website, neurology PGY1 year requirements include six months of IM and an additional two months in IM, EM, FM, or peds. This is the minimum; as an intern, I personally did ~10 months of inpatient medicine and neurology, including 2 months of ICU, as well as a few weeks of emergency medicine.

Anecdotally, I know someone who switched from IM -> neurology after PGY1 year. His neuro program made him repeat a (modified) intern year.

I don't know for certain, but I feel fairly confident in saying no program would take a PGY1 psychiatry resident as a PGY2. Neuro residents are expected to be able to handle general inpatient IM issues without assistance; do you think you can do that after your intern year?

All the same, I'd say go for it if you're interested. Your psych training won't go to waste, and you probably won't have to repeat a psych month as a neurology resident.

 

[Chibucks15]

Personally, the psych interns were astounded by the schedule I’m in my PGY1 of neuro year. You’ll almost certainly have to repeat the year

 

[confused_doc]

Hi all!

Near the end of PGY-1, Is it possible to switch from a psych to neuro residency? I know the IM experience in neuro pgy-1 is >>> psych, but are there cases where the psych resident can get into neuro residency and still finish in 3 years?

Just out of interest why do you want to switch?

 

[Splenda88]

I'm looking to switch psych to neuro as well. I need more medicine in my life than what I am getting with psych. I feel like a glorified social worker, not a doctor.

I am an IM doc (hospitalist) and I also feel like an extremely well paid social worker. <50% of what we do is medicine, the other ~60% is administrative BS.

Just be very careful how you go about these decisions

 

[Thama]

A lot of that is just residency. Being an outpatient specialist generally consists of very little social work.

 

[SeniorWrangler]

Ask around! They might make you repeat internship but if they're hard up they might make some arrangements for you. Be aware that neurology residency is much more of a grind than psychiatry residency (source; in a psychiatrist-neurologist relationship).