Second try for matching into psychiatry

[psyqe21]

Here I am again, one year later. Bit of background: DO resident intern in a transitional year program; failed one class in med school and remediated. Passed COMLEX on first attempts, but barely. Very low scores. Applied to about 59 programs last year and didn't get any interviews. HUGE interest in psychiatry (has been my dream). SOAPed into a transitional year and am doing well at my program. I am on the internal medicine track. I learned that one of my letters of recommendation from last year recommended me to family medicine. I also learned that my MSPE said I failed anatomy when I did not (failed a different class). The MSPE letter has been fixed and I have new LoRs (see below).

What have I added to my application?
-Transitional year resident
-Revamped PS
-New LoRs: one from my program director recommending me specifically for psychiatry; one from my pediatrics attending (I have done three months of internship - two months of internal medicine wards and one month of pediatrics) also recommending me specifically for psychiatry; renewed LoR from my psychiatry preceptor from medical school adding that he has kept up with me during my active internship and recommending me for psychiatry; and one letter from my Ob/Gyn preceptor from med school that was written extremely powerfully, recommending me generally.
-Two research projects, one is in prepublication (the one that's not in prepublication is psych related but delayed due to COVID-19)
-IRB committee member
-QI project for my hospital

I also applied far more broadly and also applied to internal medicine and pediatrics as backups. So far, I have no psych interviews. Wondering what my chances are with what I have done so far to improve my application. Any input would be appreciated. Thank you!

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[Stagg737]

Hard to say about chances as there's so many variables. It's often more difficult for those who didn't match the first time around on subsequent attempts, but it sounds like you've done all the right things and I would be pretty happy with what you've added. Keep your head up and best of luck!

 

[Geraltofrivia]

It's definitely an uphill battle and things have gotten more competitive. Your revamped CV sounds good, but when you say "low scores", I'm not sure what that means. Were you close to the median or close to the average score? Or were you a standard deviation below the average and just passed? The good thing is you applied to IM. Nobody needs to know that it's a "backup". My best advice is to treat every interview like it's the only interview you will ever get. It's a scary time, the stress level is unbelievably high. Believe me, I know. If you have more questions, send me a DM. Most importantly, never, ever lose faith.

 

[Psychresy]

Send out emails to all of your top psych programs (or all, if you have the time). Tell them why you want to go to their program. Tell them in a sentence or two about how you've improved your app. Do your best to stay on their radars as the season progresses.

 

[psyqe21]

It's definitely an uphill battle and things have gotten more competitive. Your revamped CV sounds good, but when you say "low scores", I'm not sure what that means. Were you close to the median or close to the average score? Or were you a standard deviation below the average and just passed? The good thing is you applied to IM. Nobody needs to know that it's a "backup". My best advice is to treat every interview like it's the only interview you will ever get. It's a scary time, the stress level is unbelievably high. Believe me, I know. If you have more questions, send me a DM. Most importantly, never, ever lose faith.

Great points. My low scores were REALLY low. Near the bottom percentiles. Boards, barely passed.. If I recall, around the 6th percentile.

Send out emails to all of your top psych programs (or all, if you have the time). Tell them why you want to go to their program. Tell them in a sentence or two about how you've improved your app. Do your best to stay on their radars as the season progresses.

I sent out some letters of interest a couple weeks ago. I have just received some good news - got two psychiatry interviews in the last two days. I am very, very relieved..

 

[Psychresy]

I sent out some letters of interest a couple weeks ago. I have just received some good news - got two psychiatry interviews in the last two days. I am very, very relieved..

Letters of interest work. I'd imagine even more so in today's climate. If you have others to send, get em done and send em out.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Have you taken COMLEX 3?
For many programs, marginal boards matter mainly as a predictor of failing Step/Level 3, and being unable to progress.
Having a pass in hand will alleviate our anxiety about that.

 

[psyqe21]

Have you taken COMLEX 3?
For many programs, marginal boards matter mainly as a predictor of failing Step/Level 3, and being unable to progress.
Having a pass in hand will alleviate our anxiety about that.

That makes sense. Yes, I took COMLEX 3 last month. I should be receiving my score soon.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Have you taken COMLEX 3?
For many programs, marginal boards matter mainly as a predictor of failing Step/Level 3, and being unable to progress.
Having a pass in hand will alleviate our anxiety about that.

This is absolutely true and can not be said often enough. As always, OldPsychDoc speaks the truth, (but I do wonder if you are really that old).

 

[ERK123]

It's definitely an uphill battle and things have gotten more competitive. Your revamped CV sounds good, but when you say "low scores", I'm not sure what that means. Were you close to the median or close to the average score? Or were you a standard deviation below the average and just passed? The good thing is you applied to IM. Nobody needs to know that it's a "backup". My best advice is to treat every interview like it's the only interview you will ever get. It's a scary time, the stress level is unbelievably high. Believe me, I know. If you have more questions, send me a DM. Most importantly, never, ever lose faith.

When somebody says low scores and they are applying to psych then this would definitely no make me assume they are close to the average. Average or close to average scores in psych are pretty solid.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

This is absolutely true and can not be said often enough. As always, OldPsychDoc speaks the truth, (but I do wonder if you are really that old).

Old enough that applicants are younger than my kids now.
And feeling older every freaking day.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Some of my applicants are born after I started working here. Kind of depressing and inspiring, not sure which.

 

[psyqe21]

Have you taken COMLEX 3?
For many programs, marginal boards matter mainly as a predictor of failing Step/Level 3, and being unable to progress.
Having a pass in hand will alleviate our anxiety about that.

Update: Received my COMLEX 3 score today. Happy to report that I passed.
Should I reach out to the programs that have offered me interviews and let them know about this update? I have two interviews coming up in January. I did obtain a third interview at a brand new program that will be on ERAS in February and have already interviewed with them in person (which is unique at this point in time).

Thank you everyone for all the advice.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Update: Received my COMLEX 3 score today. Happy to report that I passed.
Should I reach out to the programs that have offered me interviews and let them know about this update? I have two interviews coming up in January. I did obtain a third interview at a brand new program that will be on ERAS in February and have already interviewed with them in person (which is unique at this point in time).

Thank you everyone for all the advice.

You can save that gem for the interviews, but if there are programs you're waiting on for an interview response, a brief "update" email might be in order.

 

[Central_SOULcus]

Update: Received my COMLEX 3 score today. Happy to report that I passed.
Should I reach out to the programs that have offered me interviews and let them know about this update? I have two interviews coming up in January. I did obtain a third interview at a brand new program that will be on ERAS in February and have already interviewed with them in person (which is unique at this point in time).

Thank you everyone for all the advice

Agree with OldPsychDoc, but also to send a quick update email to the one program that already interviewed you. Best of luck to you this season!

 

[heartsink]

I also learned that my MSPE said I failed anatomy when I did not (failed a different class).

If I may ask, what was the class?

And to others, how important is remediating a single class?

 

[psyqe21]

If I may ask, what was the class?

And to others, how important is remediating a single class?

I failed molecular fundamentals of medicine. Had a rough personal week during the virology course, so I tanked that exam, making passing the whole course next to impossible as it was based on three total exams.

Now my question is: what are my chances of matching into psychiatry with three interviews? The new program has 6 seats for the inaugural class, the other program will have its second set of residents with 3 seats, and the third program is at an established university program with 5 seats. I have a couple pediatric seats as backup as well as a spot in the internal medicine program at my current site where I'm doing the transitional year.