Psychiatry Research Elective Question

[futuredo32]

I'm considering doing a 4 week psychiatry research elective (it's online statistical research . At the end of the 4 weeks, I would complete either a poster, brief report, abstract or an article that addresses a particular question).
Would such an elective help or hurt when applying for a program that isn't at all research oriented?
To be honest, I'm not all that interested in research,I really prefer spending time with patients. However, I would definitely pursue this elective if it would help my application stand out from others.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

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[Faebinder]

I'm considering doing a 4 week psychiatry research elective (it's online statistical research . At the end of the 4 weeks, I would complete either a poster, brief report, abstract or an article that addresses a particular question).
Would such an elective help or hurt when applying for a program that isn't at all research oriented?
To be honest, I'm not all that interested in research,I really prefer spending time with patients. However, I would definitely pursue this elective if it would help my application stand out from others.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

It wont hurt, might even help, and you might enjoy research. People don't like what they don't understand. You're gonna need to interpert research as a psychiatrist. The scientologists and pharm companies are waiting to rip you up.

 

[marie337]

I'm considering this elective too! I've been going back and forth on it. I think it would be a good experience, but I'm not sure how useful it would be. I wouldn't even be able to take it until October, so it won't really help my application except that I will only be interviewing with that program.

 

[futuredo32]

It wont hurt, might even help, and you might enjoy research. People don't like what they don't understand. You're gonna need to interpert research as a psychiatrist. The scientologists and pharm companies are waiting to rip you up.

Thanks for your input. It's not that I think research will be horrible, I just really enjoy working with patients. (My radiology rotation was a rough two weeks- dark room, little contact with anyone for 8 hours a day).
Don't get me started on the scientologists.

I'm considering this elective too! I've been going back and forth on it. I think it would be a good experience, but I'm not sure how useful it would be. I wouldn't even be able to take it until October, so it won't really help my application except that I will only be interviewing with that program.

I'm only planning to rank one program and it's not the one you've set your sights on, so at least we're not competing with each other

 

[marie337]

I'm only planning to rank one program and it's not the one you've set your sights on, so at least we're not competing with each other

Did you find somewhere in Detroit that you like? I think I'm headed for child psychiatry, so East Lansing is a perfect fit for me. What do you think about this elective, though? I haven't done any research before, so it could be a good experience. I'd hate to be bored out of my mind for a month, though! I wish that I had my core rotation before September so I could do it early enough to benefit from the LOR .

 

[futuredo32]

Did you find somewhere in Detroit that you like? I think I'm headed for child psychiatry, so East Lansing is a perfect fit for me. What do you think about this elective, though? I haven't done any research before, so it could be a good experience. I'd hate to be bored out of my mind for a month, though! I wish that I had my core rotation before September so I could do it early enough to benefit from the LOR .

I think I'm going to have all my LORS in when ERAS opens, so the LOR wouldn't help me either. But, I thought it might be a good elective to mention during the interview. I think that if I were having an easier time finding a regular psych rotation, I wouldn't give the research elective as much consideration. The woes of being a Michigan do student interested in psych.
I'm still very undecided about the elective right now. Hopefully, there will still be slots open if I decide I want to do the elective.
I could be wrong, but I think that being that it's all in the same program, a good word will be just as good as an actual letter for you. Actually, having done a child psych elective there and having that as your base hospital, and being an MSU student may be all that you need. (that's just my guess, I definitely am not "in the know")

 

[marie337]

Do you have any ideas what your topic would be? I'm considering something to do with OCD in children. I'm not sure about how to pose a good quality question, though. I guess that's one reason why I'm interested in doing the elective . What month are you looking at doing the elective?

I don't have any LORs yet. I have one that is supposed to be coming, but the attending has severe ADHD and I fear I may never see it. My child psych rotation was excellent, but I didn't work with any one attending very much. I may just ask the coordinator for a LOR anyway just because I need one!

 

[futuredo32]

Do you have any ideas what your topic would be? I'm considering something to do with OCD in children. I'm not sure about how to pose a good quality question, though. I guess that's one reason why I'm interested in doing the elective . What month are you looking at doing the elective?

I don't have any LORs yet. I have one that is supposed to be coming, but the attending has severe ADHD and I fear I may never see it. My child psych rotation was excellent, but I didn't work with any one attending very much. I may just ask the coordinator for a LOR anyway just because I need one!

I really wanted to do something related to Alzheimer's, but I reread the email he sent and though it didn't specify that it had to be child psych related, I am kinda thinking it does just because he's a child psychiatrist. I kinda liked his sample question. I am pretty interested in substance abuse, so maybe something related to that in kids? OCD in kids would be interesting.

Is the coordinator Dr.Richard? Ask her, she will gladly write you one I think. When I went to the dinner the psych department held last year, she said that they really liked LORS from MSU attendings if you were planning to do your psych residency at MSU.
I have one glowing personalized amazing and awesome LOR from a FP and one incredibly short and generic one from a psychiatrist. The psych LOR "strongly recommends" me,but it's pretty generic and very short. I'm doing IM this month and I'm thinking about asking that attending for a LOR if things continue to go well on this rotation. I'd like to get a less generic psych LOR from a future psych rotation, but I don't know if it's more important to have the LORS in as soon as ERAS opens up than it is to have better LORS. I feel pretty clueless.

I am still holding 3 of my 4 elective months open based upon psych elective rotation availability in the Metro Detroit area. So, if I did the research elective, it would be sometime between Aug and Oct. I think that by the time I hear about the clinical psych rotation availability, all of the research elective slots will be gone. Providence didn't have one opening for me any time at all from July-Oct. Too many DO students and not enough core rotation sites, I guess.
What non-psych electives are you planning to do?

 

[marie337]

I would love to do the elective in August so that I could have the LOR sooner. But, I actually do not have my core psych rotation until September. I was hoping to get that requirement waived since I have already done child psych, but no such luck. I don't think you have to choose a child topic. It sounds like it could be anything of interest. I'm not sure how to go about getting my topic narrowed down, though. I will try emailing Dr. G tomorrow!

 

[futuredo32]

I would love to do the elective in August so that I could have the LOR sooner. But, I actually do not have my core psych rotation until September. I was hoping to get that requirement waived since I have already done child psych, but no such luck. I don't think you have to choose a child topic. It sounds like it could be anything of interest. I'm not sure how to go about getting my topic narrowed down, though. I will try emailing Dr. G tomorrow!

Dr.G? Dr Q maybe?
Good luck. I'm sure he will be happy to help you come up with a great topic. I just hope that there's still a slot open after I finally get my other psych rotation arranged, whenever that may be.

 

[marie337]

Dr.G? Dr Q maybe?

Yeah...that's what I meant. I had Dr. Giuliano's name in my head for some reason! I'm not sure how I feel about presenting my research at grand rounds! I think that's the only thing holding me back right now. I'm a great candidate for a beta blocker prior to public speaking!

 

[futuredo32]

Yeah...that's what I meant. I had Dr. Giuliano's name in my head for some reason! I'm not sure how I feel about presenting my research at grand rounds! I think that's the only thing holding me back right now. I'm a great candidate for a beta blocker prior to public speaking!

I'm definitely not fond of public speaking either, to put it mildly. I think that attendings are very lenient with students, it might be good practice. Wouldn't doing presentations be good desensitization therapy?

If I'd just hear about the rotation availability for my other psych elective, I'd email Dr.Q today. Is there some saying about good things coming to those who wait? In my case, my waited for psych elective will be AWESOME after all this time.

 

[marie337]

I think that attendings are very lenient with students, it might be good practice. Wouldn't doing presentations be good desensitization therapy?

This is what I keep telling myself! I know that during residency I will have to present at grand rounds more than once! So, I might as well get used to it. I've had to do three presentations (much smaller scale) this month, so I'm already breaking myself in! I think I'll just suck it up and see about doing the rotation in October. He sent me some links to help with choosing a topic, so I think I"ll work on that tomorrow.

 

[futuredo32]

This is what I keep telling myself! I know that during residency I will have to present at grand rounds more than once! So, I might as well get used to it. I've had to do three presentations (much smaller scale) this month, so I'm already breaking myself in! I think I'll just suck it up and see about doing the rotation in October. He sent me some links to help with choosing a topic, so I think I"ll work on that tomorrow.

I'm sure you will choose a good topic. I'd be interested in knowing about the topic you end up picking if you felt like posting it.
Three presentations in one month. That's A LOT in one month.

 

[ApolloDok]

I think a research rotation would only help an application, and more importantly, you as a future psychiatrist! So right on, and good luck with all your work

I'm currently a MSIII looking to set up a research month, but I'm at a loss for where I should set it up!

-Jake