Residency Question

[deleted1099686]

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I'm starting D.O. school in a few days. I want to do psychiatry. Main reason I went the D.O. route is because friends/mentors kept telling me that psych is not competitive and very D.O. friendly like FM. But I'm looking at the data now, and psych seems pretty competitive as 27% of D.O. psych applicants didn't match, which is as much as ortho and ortho is considered competitive I'm assuming. Is 73% a bad match rate and will I have a harder time matching into psych even with good boards/EC's? Or am I reading this graph wrong?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Psych is DO friendly, but definitely not as open as FM. Good thing is Psych really value applicants who show strong interests in the field over board scores which you'll have to build over the next 3 year. Psych is one of those fields where someone with a 220 step 1 might match over someone with a 240 simply because they didn't build an app that shows their passion for the field. So if you want it, definitely get involve early in research, interest groups, conferences, etc... and make connections that will help you match. Do some audition rotations early 4th year before match, get strong LoRs, and I think it'll be very possible for you to land Psych from a DO school.

 

[deleted1099686]

Psych is DO friendly, but definitely not as open as FM. Good thing is Psych really value applicants who show strong interests in the field over board scores which you'll have to build over the next 3 year. Psych is one of those field where someone with a 220 step 1 might match over someone with a 240 simply because they didn't build an app that shows their passion for the field. So if you want it, definitely get involve early in research, interest groups, conferences, etc... and make connections that will help you match. Do some audition rotations early 4th year before match, get strong LoRs, and I think it'll be very possible for you to land Psych from a DO school.

Thanks man! That makes me feel better haha, and it makes sense too.

 

[deleted898021]

I'm starting D.O. school in a few days. I want to do psychiatry. Main reason I went the D.O. route is because friends/mentors kept telling me that psych is not competitive and very D.O. friendly like FM. But I'm looking at the data now, and psych seems pretty competitive as 27% of D.O. psych applicants didn't match, which is as much as ortho and ortho is considered competitive I'm assuming. Is 73% a bad match rate and will I have a harder time matching into psych even with good boards/EC's? Or am I reading this graph wrong?

This data is almost 100% not accurate it includes people who used psych as a backup and obviously didn’t match to psych cause it was a back up specialty for them. Look at the charting outcomes it shows the real match % by step 1 and other metrics for people who actually wanted psych..

 

[DrStephenStrange]

This data is almost 100% not accurate it includes people who used psych as a backup and obviously didn’t match to psych cause it was a back up specialty for them. Look at the charting outcomes it shows the real match % by step 1 and other metrics for people who actually wanted psych..

Actually, I think his data is the one that included people that ranked only Psych.

 

[deleted1099686]

This data is almost 100% not accurate it includes people who used psych as a backup and obviously didn’t match to psych cause it was a back up specialty for them. Look at the charting outcomes it shows the real match % by step 1 and other metrics for people who actually wanted psych..

Hm I can't seem to find it. Could you post it here?

 

[deleted898021]

Actually, I think his data is the one that included people that ranked only Psych.

But I think then it doesn’t include those who matched psych but also ranked say FM as a back up.. so either way the data isn’t 100% accurate, there’s no way psych has only a 73% match rate.

 

[Cath Up]

But I think then it doesn’t include those who matched psych but also ranked say FM as a back up.. so either way the data isn’t 100% accurate, there’s no way psych has only a 73% match rate.

Ooooh I didn't realize this. I've not been enjoying that 73%. Thank you for soothing me

 

[DrStephenStrange]

But I think then it doesn’t include those who matched psych but also ranked say FM as a back up.. so either way the data isn’t 100% accurate, there’s no way psych has only a 73% match rate.

You're right, and I agree that psych is not as competitive as ortho.

 

[calvinhobbes]

It’s all about the interview and being the right fit. Also, do electives and Sub-I’s in psych if you can. Also this past year’s match may be very atypical b/c of the pandemic, and people overapplied so some programs were stressed and may not have interviewed everyone, I’m not sure. Overall psych is DO friendly and you shouldn’t have an issue matching, even with a blemish or two on your record—psych programs want to make sure your communication skills are great.

 

[DOVinciRobot]

But I think then it doesn’t include those who matched psych but also ranked say FM as a back up.. so either way the data isn’t 100% accurate, there’s no way psych has only a 73% match rate.

Actually I think the 73% for psych is real…

 

[deleted898021]

Actually I think the 73% for psych is real…

No I doubt it, it does not include those who matched psych after ranking a back up specialty in that data, the charting outcomes from 2020 show completely different data....

 

[DOVinciRobot]

No I doubt it, it does not include those who matched psych after ranking a back up specialty in that data, the charting outcomes from 2020 show completely different data....

I mean, charting outcomes 2020 has an 84% match rate, 73% isn't terribly far off... I'm not really sure including people who also ranked a back up specialty really moves the needle as much as you are insinuating. The overall number of applicants increased and psych was one of the top 5 matched specialties for USMDs. So..... I mean, I would be pretty surprised if the true match rate for DO's to psych was north of 80%. A true DO match rate in the 70s is almost assuredly the case.

 

[deleted1099686]

Hm, I found this one google. Not if I'm interpreting it correctly, but I'm going to post it and maybe you guys can take a look at it

 

[Surgeon D.O.]

Is that a 100% match for Rad Onc lol? I remember a very different story about 10 years ago...

 

[deleted898021]

I mean, charting outcomes 2020 has an 84% match rate, 73% isn't terribly far off... I'm not really sure including people who also ranked a back up specialty really moves the needle as much as you are insinuating. The overall number of applicants increased and psych was one of the top 5 matched specialties for USMDs. So..... I mean, I would be pretty surprised if the true match rate for DO's to psych was north of 80%. A true DO match rate in the 70s is almost assuredly the case.

An 11% drop in one year is crazy.. definetly the covid effect