switch to psych?

[revolution1980]

im currently a categorical medicine intern at a nyc program. the intern experience for me has been a miserable one.
for sure i am going to try to switch out of my institution because with the work hour rules changing, it is going to go from bad to worse for PGY2s (only one reason among numerous others).
now im thinking do i even wanna do medicine?
i was originally torn between IM and psych. i chose medicine because i enjoy outpt primary care and having a broad general medical knowledge.
also, i had a pretty lousy sub I experience on psych.
i feel like this is the only time i'll be able to consider a field switch without significantly setting myself back.
anyone else go through something like this? thoughts?

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[atsai3]

im currently a categorical medicine intern at a nyc program. the intern experience for me has been a miserable one.
for sure i am going to try to switch out of my institution because with the work hour rules changing, it is going to go from bad to worse for PGY2s (only one reason among numerous others).
now im thinking do i even wanna do medicine?
i was originally torn between IM and psych. i chose medicine because i enjoy outpt primary care and having a broad general medical knowledge.
also, i had a pretty lousy sub I experience on psych.
i feel like this is the only time i'll be able to consider a field switch without significantly setting myself back.
anyone else go through something like this? thoughts?

It's a little late in the season for you to make the switch (either to IM at another institution or to psych within either the same or another institution) this year. Generally interns sign their PGY2 contracts around January, so I assume you have already signed your contract for next year.

If you haven't already signed your contract, and you want to switch into a PGY2 psychiatry slot beginning July 2011, then you will need to get cracking on this. Many psychiatry programs fill their new (set aside) PGY2 slots through the match, while others fill their new and transfer PGY2 slots outside of the match. But generally interviews for either of these occur during Oct-Jan.

If you have already signed your contract and you want to switch into a PGY2 psychiatry slot beginning July 2012, then you have plenty of time. Notify your program director of your intentions (to transfer out) around Sept-Oct, send our your transfer applications (which will require a letter of good standing from your current program director), interview in Oct-Jan, and be notified of your new transfer spot around Jan-Mar. (The key thing to note is that your current institution will very likely have your PGY3 contract for you to sign sometime around January 2012. And you will have to either sign, or pass, and you will probably have to decide on this before you have a confirmed PGY2 psychiatry spot at another program. Yes, there is a lot of uncertainty in this setup. But there is no way around it.)

-AT.

 

[nitemagi]

I've seen a number of people switch in (and out of psych). Seems like some of the bigger difficulties in those adapting to psych are--
1) Dealing with gray areas. We have a lot of them - Our diagnostic categories are still a work in progress, our meds aren't perfect.
2) Not really liking the chronically mentally ill, and the groups that fake it. During residency especially, you deal with some fairly sick individuals (at least at our program), as well as a lot of malingerers or people with poor coping. They show up in other specialties too, but we get a bit more.

The upsides IMO are that dealing with #1 means using more critical thinking than just an algorithm (though many fall into just lazy/nihilistic thinking), and you can learn how to deal with #2, unlike colleagues in other specialties that still have to see them and never learn how to deal with them.

 

[IAmAUser]

.

 

[Cinnameg]

I know at least a few programs -- like Hopkins -- reserve a few PGY2 slots each year for people switching into psych from other specialties. So it must be a fairly common choice.

 

[wannabeapmr]

just wondering the degree of difficulty of switching from psych to something else? to IM or neurology? is that common?

 

[atsai3]

just wondering the degree of difficulty of switching from psych to something else? to IM or neurology? is that common?

So... you're trying to match into USC psychiatry

(01-30-2011, 08:17 PM) does anyone know if they will inform you you they are ranking you or not?? Do they rank everyone that they interview? I really wanna know cuz its one of the programs that i want to match at. Please, if you have any info on this, i would be very appreciative for your help. thanks a bunch!!

with the ex ante intention of switching into medicine/neurology with the intention of switching again into PM&R?

(10-09-2009, 04:07 PM) I am a caribbean student. stats 215/89 step 1, step 2 198/81, cs failed first time but retook last month but wont get the score back til dec. 9th. I just applied for 40 pmr programs. do i have any chances getting interviews? should i apply to more programs? any advice would be appreciated. I have decent letters and good clinical grades. only blemish is my cs score.

I don't get it.

-AT.

 

[Saluki]

So... you're trying to match into USC psychiatry



with the ex ante intention of switching into medicine/neurology with the intention of switching again into PM&R?



I don't get it.

-AT.

Maybe he's applying to both psych and pm&r right now? I don't know about the other piece....

 

[wannabeapmr]

yea i applied last year and i did not match cuz i failed the cs..and it was too late for interviews when the score came back. i really like both but leaning towards Psych.

And no, i dont want to switch out of psych if i match. I love psych but pmr was a close second..

Sorry if i may have confused you...

 

[sunlioness]

Y'know, this question comes up a lot. Maybe we should make a sticky.

 

[revolution1980]

Maybe consider transferring to a less malignant medicine program? or family medicine?

yea, that seems like the most reasonable plan at this point... it's hard to investigate things on an icu rotation lol , but im making some headway.

 

[psychattending]

im currently a categorical medicine intern at a nyc program. the intern experience for me has been a miserable one.
for sure i am going to try to switch out of my institution because with the work hour rules changing, it is going to go from bad to worse for PGY2s (only one reason among numerous others).
now im thinking do i even wanna do medicine?
i was originally torn between IM and psych. i chose medicine because i enjoy outpt primary care and having a broad general medical knowledge.
also, i had a pretty lousy sub I experience on psych.
i feel like this is the only time i'll be able to consider a field switch without significantly setting myself back.
anyone else go through something like this? thoughts?

Our program - Washington University - takes PGY2s and might have an opening. Feel free to contact us.

 

[Energy NOS]

Revolution, I realized half way during my intern year in internal medicine that I enjoyed psychiatry a lot more than internal medicine. I was able to make the switch into a PGY2 spot and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

As some people already stated it is a little later in the interview season, but not to late to try for a PGY2 spot for July 2011.

PM me if you want to discuss more. We may also have opening at our program.