Pysch residents: happy with life?

[Solideliquid]

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Dear current psych residents,

I am applying to psych residencies for this upcoming match. I wonder, how are most residencies treating you and/or your families? Do you have time to enjoy life? Is there time to spend with family/friends?

I notice on FREIDA many psych program's work hours per week are stated as 50 hours, some 60 but usually no more than that. Do these numbers reflect reality?

I am currently married, and we are planning on have our first child during second year (after the rigors of first year) is this realistic? Will I have the time to be a good parent during residency? I do not want to wait until after residency to have children.

Thanks in advanced!

 

[Milo]

I love psych residency. I have two boys of my own and my wife works as a family physician part time. If it wasn't for the siren call of moonlighting I would have lots o' time for my boys.

 

[Solideliquid]

I love psych residency. I have two boys of my own and my wife works as a family physician part time. If it wasn't for the siren call of moonlighting I would have lots o' time for my boys.

Milo- Thanks for responding! I thought about moonlighting too, the extra money it generates will really help us out. Especially when the baby comes.

 

[Solideliquid]

Anyone else?

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Anyone else?

Had two kids starting residency, had another third year, have 4 now.

Once you're out of intern hell, it's very managable--kind of like a normal job most of the time. I found my program, and most others I know are pretty flexible for family issues. (Stay on the good side of your colleagues, though, and don't expect a lot of special allowances in your call schedule, don't expect to be exempt from all the late admissions to pick up kids from day care, etc.--you'll end up getting more by asking for less!)

Many of my fellow residents had kids--it was a good experience. Helped that my wife stayed home 1st year.

 

[tangents]

i think it really depends on your program, your rotation and the year. right now i am doing medicine, and it really varies. unit months you can work the 80 hours, elective months, 35. psych programs vary in intensity, but it is pretty obvious what you are getting into during interviews. some places have a very light schedule, and some places you might work 80 hours in your second year on some rotations.

 

[lu2003]

I think it's very doable. That's what I'm planning. I'm doing my medicine portion of intership now, so it's pretty crazy hours, but I'll try to have a baby during 2nd year. In medicine in general, there's never a good time, I think you just decide when to do it and just to hell with it all, you do it! 😉

Good luck to you in your application process.

 

[jay dub]

Programs will vary with busyness of schedule... I know some programs actually seem busier the second year than the first year (like my program for instance, second year is better than first year, but is more jam-packed). I'm very happy in psych residency, and it was definitely the right choice for me.

Good luck!!