The Official (2017-2018) WAMC for Psychiatry Thread

[JP275]

Step 1: 252
Step 2 CK/ CS: Pending both
School: Middle of the road US MD program
Class Rank: 1st quartile
Clerkship Grades (H/HP/P/F): Honors in all except OBGYN (HP) and Peds (P)
Research/ Publications: No pubs, 1 oral presentation, 3 posters (none particularly psych related)
Extracurriculars: Moderate amount of volunteerism/leadership positions in interest groups
Quality of LORs if known: 3 psych letters (1 good one from clerkship director, 1 very strong one from away rotation, 1 likely generic one from department chair at home institution), 1 IM letter (likely very good)
Red flags: None
Where you would like to end up: Texas. Hopefully UTSW, but ok with many others in the state. Plan is to apply to most Texas programs, 4-5 less competitive programs in surrounding states, and a mix of programs on East/West coast

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[deleted866694]

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[chulem]

Removed

 

[eizeral]

Step 1: 201 USMLE, 516 COMLEX
Step 2 CK/ CS: 461 COMLEX-2CE, Pass COMLEX-2PE
School: PCOM
Class Rank: top 50%, my class average is an 88.4%, I have an 88.6%
Grades in Clerkship: Honors in oncology elective, and in family medicine/OMM elective; High passes in Psychiatry, Family medicine, Internal medicine; Pass in OB/GYN, Surgery, IM-cardiology; Honors for psych sub-I
AOA: No
Research/ Publications/ Extracurriculars: oncology club and dermatology club Vice President, member of Latino medical student association, LASOH (LGBT club), administered STI testing at an LGBT clinic, took a course in Addiction Psychiatry in med school, member of Pediatrics club, member of Psychiatry club
Red Flags: Board scores
Overview of where you want to end up: Philadelphia. Northeast in general.

Currently, 2 great LORs, one psych letter from the assistant residency director, and another from my IM attending. Working on another psych letter.

What are my chances? :/

 

[stealth658]

Removed

 

[HighPotential]

Step 1: 215+, Comlex 550+
Step 2 CK/ CS: Comlex 550+ PE passed
School: DO midwest
Class Rank: riding the class average
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): Healthy mix of HP/P
AOA: no
Research/ Publications: Undergrad research, basic science.
Extracurriculars: moderate
Quality of LORs if known: moderate
Red flags: none
Where you would like to end up: Somewhere west or east with great access to outdoors (forest/mountains/green things).

 

[aim-agm]

I'm just starting 3rd year, so I know it's a bit premature to ask WAMC. However, I want to know how competitive I am as an applicant to inform fiances choice of where to attend medical school (i.e. want to choose school taking into consideration how likely it is that I can get into a residency near it).

STEP 1: 248
STEP 2: Not taken yet
School: US MD, new school (California Northstate)
Class Rank: Presumed top quartile (quartile rankings, rank not calculated until end of 3rd year)
Clerkship Grades: (H/HP/P/F) Still in first rotation
AOA: N/A (school does not have chapter)
Research/Publications: 3 publications, none in Psych (2 in polymer chemistry, 1 a review of biosimilar drugs laws and regulations). A number of poster presentations
Extracurriculars: Treasurer for StuGov and school AMA chapter. A number of volunteer activities (primarily Health Fairs, community outreach/education)
Quality of LoRs: Unknown
Red Flags: None, except perhaps new school (in inaugural class) that has been the subject of controversy (primarily regarding for profit status)
Where I would like to end up: No geographical restrictions in general, except as noted above.

At this point, are there any significant things I can or should do to improve competitiveness, besides doing well in my rotations/getting good LoRs (e.g. do I need to do especially well on STEP 2, or pursue Psych research/publications)?

 

[tonguetalker]

Probably gonna expose myself with this post but whatevs . . .
Step 1: 216
Step 2 CK/ CS: 237
School: Top 5
Class Rank: n/a
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): Honors in medicine and in medicine subi, surgery, psych, derm
Research/ Publications: 1 year of research in dermatology, ~10 pubs in derm/plastics with a few poster and oral presentations at national derm conferences
Extracurriculars: A TON. Mostly related to admissions at my school and work with minority and underserved patients and helping students of color get into medicine
Red flags: step 1?
Where you would like to end up: hopefully a top 10 program, would love to go to Yale or Stanford/UCSF. Emory too

Basically, I have been planning to do derm for the past 4 years of medical school including doing a research year in derm. At the end of that, I realized that my heart was not truly passionate about derm and I cared most about the psychosocial issues when I was on any rotations and always got excited when we had psych patients around. I realized that its my true calling and I should follow that (rather than follow the money and lifestyle of derm). Anywho, Im also getting an MBA (also top 5) and wanting to know what my chances would be of matching into a strong psych program given my rather circuitous route (I will have spent 6 years total getting the MD/MBA).

 

[aim-agm]

Probably gonna expose myself with this post but whatevs . . .
Step 1: 216
Step 2 CK/ CS: 237
Research/ Publications: 1 year of research in dermatology, ~10 pubs in derm/plastics with a few poster and oral presentations at national derm conferences

Can't speak to competitiveness but the above raises the suggestion you wanted to do Derm but didn't get the scores, so you're pursuing psych as a fall-back. Do you have evidence to convince programs otherwise?

 

[tonguetalker]

Can't speak to competitiveness but the above raises the suggestion you wanted to do Derm but didn't get the scores, so you're pursuing psych as a fall-back. Do you have evidence to convince programs otherwise?

It is a valid point; I did my research year after I got both my USLME scores. Our derm PD thinks I have an excellent shot of matching despite step 1.

I am not, however, pursuing psych as a "back-up" and wont be applying to dermatology at all. I am hopeful that my passion will be revealed through my letter writers and my personal statement.

I would be applying during next year's cycle so I still have a year or so to gather more psych related experiences if that will raise a lot of concern

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Actually you only have a couple of months to gather psych experience that will be reflected on your application. I would use some of your first post in your personal statement and "I wont be applying to dermatology at all" should be slipped in. Nothing wrong with being a convert, but best to let us know you have drank the Kool Aid. Good luck, you will be fine if you broaden your list some.

 

[CingulateGyro]

Step 1: 209
Step 2 CK/ CS: 257 on CK
School: State US MD
Class Rank: Not sure at the moment. We're only ranked for the clinical years so probably not high (see below)
Clerkship Grades All passes 3rd year, honors in my psychiatry AIs so far. My Dean describe my clerkship narrative as fantastic but...those shelf exams!
Research/ Publications: 8 publications, including 2 first author papers. One abstract submitted. 2 active research projects in psychiatry.
Extracurriculars: VP of Psychiatry Interest Group and executive board member of our student lobbying group. I am in my school's MD-MPH program and started a few QI projects examining inpatient psychiatric hospitalization in our county.
Red flags: Low step 1 and all passes third year. But no board or coursework deficiencies.
Where you would like to end up: A program that is a good fit for me (a program with a good mix of therapy and neurobiological based practice ). I also want to mesh well with my co-residents.

It is important to me to be semi-close to my family in the NE area. My SO is not in medicine and he is flexible. I really enjoy clinical research but I also enjoy community outreach/internal QI projects as well so I would be probably be happy at a community program as well.

I am a neuroscience major who came to medical school wanting to do psychiatry (common story!). But I did not do well on Step 1 which has made me nervous. I treated Step 2 CK as the "end all be all" and was able to pull my score up thankfully. Just looking for some advice on how to survive the "Step 1 screens." Or maybe some programs I should put on my radar (reach, safety, whatever!) Thank you all in advance!

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Step 1: 209
Step 2 CK/ CS: 257 on CK
School: State US MD
Class Rank: Not sure at the moment. We're only ranked for the clinical years so probably not high (see below)
Clerkship Grades All passes 3rd year, honors in my psychiatry AIs so far. My Dean describe my clerkship narrative as fantastic but...those shelf exams!
Research/ Publications: 8 publications, including 2 first author papers. One abstract submitted. 2 active research projects in psychiatry.
Extracurriculars: VP of Psychiatry Interest Group and executive board member of our student lobbying group. I am in my school's MD-MPH program and started a few QI projects examining inpatient psychiatric hospitalization in our county.
Red flags: Low step 1 and all passes third year. But no board or coursework deficiencies.
Where you would like to end up: A program that is a good fit for me (a program with a good mix of therapy and neurobiological based practice ). I also want to mesh well with my co-residents (I love my home institution's residents and faculty so that is a big plus in their column for sure!)

It is important to me to be semi-close (within 6 hours by car) to my family in the NYC area. My SO is not in medicine and he is flexible. I really enjoy clinical research but I also enjoy community outreach/internal QI projects as well so I would be probably be happy at a community program as well.

I am a neuroscience major who came to medical school wanting to do psychiatry (common story!). But I did not do well on Step 1 which has made me nervous. I treated Step 2 CK as the "end all be all" and was able to pull my score up thankfully. Just looking for some advice on how to survive the "Step 1 screens." Or maybe some programs I should put on my radar (reach, safety, whatever!) Thank you all in advance!

Nothing to worry about--that Step 2 will kick down the doors for you.

 

[Tardiveman]

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[CingulateGyro]

Nothing to worry about--that Step 2 will kick down the doors for you.

Thank you for your input! I am just hoping to survive pre interview screenings to be seen...

 

[Rynkay]

Step 1: 198
Step 2 CK/ CS: 238, CS not taken yet
School: Mid-tier university (MD) in SE
Class Rank: slightly below average
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): pass, mostly B's and B+s
AOA: no
Research/ Publications: 2 posters, 1 presentation, couple publications all not psych related; currently doing psychiatry-related research and likely publication
Extracurriculars: APA, AMWA, APAMSA, some clinic volunteer work
Quality of LORs if known: unknown
Red flags: 1 year off before MS3 in school for family issues
Where you would like to end up: TX since family is in Houston.

I know with my Step 1 grade is very low and I plan on applying to a broad range of programs. Would love some advice and input on lower-tier programs and community programs I should take a look at. Thanks.

 

[When is graduation again?]

Step 1: 231
Step 2 CK/ CS: 235, CS pass
School: Top Public (?)
Class Rank: Average to above (?)
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): 3rd year: weird system now. Likely translated to H Psych and IM, P in surg, HP everything else
4th year: H AI Psych, H 2 psych electives, H elective, HP AI in IM
AOA: no
Research/ Publications: 2 presentations, one award at national contest, no pubs (conducted and created own project, n too small for publications, plus I really dislike research)
Extracurriculars: Social Medicine track, psych interest group co-pres, created cool projects, 2 creative writing publications, awards for community service and research grants)
Quality of LORs if known: Strong
Red flags:None
Where you would like to end up: Anywhere with either strong community psych presence or flexibility for cool projects. Thinking Yale, Stanford, USC-Palmetto, Carolinas, Hennepin, UTSW, University of Chicago. Fiance is in tech, so cities are high on list.
Additional: Member of very URM group

Has anyone seen this data from the AMA, Apply smart in psychiatry: New data to consider - Careers In Medicine on the point of diminishing returns for psych app submissions (they do other fields too)? If your Step 1>215 the point of diminishing returns is 13 apps. Is anyone planning to use it? I was thinking of aiming for 18.

Also does anyone have any recs for other great community-focused psych programs?

 

[splik]

Also does anyone have any recs for other great community-focused psych programs?

san mateo and cambridge health alliance and maybe OHSU. columbia actually has a really great community psychiatry curriculum even though the program itself is not a community focused one. stanford does not have a "strong community psych presence" it is probably the weakest aspect of their program despite their best efforts (and otherwise a great program).

 

[When is graduation again?]

san mateo and cambridge health alliance and maybe OHSU. columbia actually has a really great community psychiatry curriculum even though the program itself is not a community focused one. stanford does not have a "strong community psych presence" it is probably the weakest aspect of their program despite their best efforts (and otherwise a great program).

Perfect. Thanks for the response. Columbia was on my list. OHSU caught my attention and was on the periphery of my list I just wasn't sure if I should bump off other things for it. It's an expensive flight from where I live, so I was being frugal about where I apply, but I'll look into placing it higher.

Stanford wasn't actually listed for the community aspect. I probably should have specified that better. I like it for flexibility, since they give you a good amount of time starting PGY2 to pursue scholarly interests. Plus it's near silicon valley which is ripe with resources and job opportunities for my partner.

 

[cake45]

Step 1: 237
Step 2 CK/ CS: 253, CS pending
School: unranked MD
Class Rank: 2nd 1/3
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): 3rd year: only pass fail or honors system for 3rd year. P/F first & second year. Good comments but only honored psych passed everything
Research/ Publications: 1 unpublished research, 1 creative writing publication
Extracurriculars: alot of long term community service related projects
Quality of LORs if known: 2 strong psych letters
Red flags:None
Where you would like to end up: really want to end up in Miami, a good community psych program, or a program with good addiction experience
Additional: decided on psych at the end of third year not sure where and how many programs to apply to

 

[When is graduation again?]

Step 1: 237
Step 2 CK/ CS: 253, CS pending
School: unranked MD
Class Rank: 2nd 1/3
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): 3rd year: only pass fail or honors system for 3rd year. P/F first & second year. Good comments but only honored psych passed everything
Research/ Publications: 1 unpublished research, 1 creative writing publication
Extracurriculars: alot of long term community service related projects
Quality of LORs if known: 2 strong psych letters
Red flags:None
Where you would like to end up: really want to end up in Miami, a good community psych program, or a program with good addiction experience
Additional: decided on psych at the end of third year not sure where and how many programs to apply to

I'm just a lowly med student as well, but from what I gather you seem like a strong applicant. Your school ranking seems like the only thing that might hold you back, but with those great scores it probably doesn't matter. Based on this article through AAMC, Apply smart in psychiatry: New data to consider - Careers In Medicine, for a US MD the point of diminishing returns for apps is 13. If you're being cautious maybe 24-28 programs (just a guess).

But I am curious though. Why do you like Miami? Is it the program or the location? I haven't heard much about it tbh.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Thanks for the link. I'm surprised by it, 17 applications only gets you an 80% chance of matching in psychiatry for a US grad with step I >215? I would have guessed 98%, this seems very low.

 

[When is graduation again?]

Thanks for the link. I'm surprised by it, 17 applications only gets you an 80% chance of matching in psychiatry for a US grad with step I >215? I would have guessed 98%, this seems very low.

You know I was wondering the same thing. They do these graphs for other specialties too, Apply smart: New data to consider - Careers In Medicine. IM and FM seem to get to the mid 90s for ranking, but super competitive programs derm top outaround 75% even with Step 1>247 and 60 apps. My best guess is that people applying in Derm, Anesthesia, and other competitive specialties are backing up with psych. Definitely skews the data though, though its positive for psych applicants with high scores. According to NMRP data, of those that only ranked psych programs 68 USMDs went unmatched and 846 USMDs matched psych (914 total). 1067 total applicants applied to psych programs. So there's about 153 psych applicants applying to multiple specialties.

 

[Lunzio]

Does anyone have an awesome excel spreadsheet template that they utilized during the application/interview process?

Would be very appreciated to see how others have prioritized/categorized!

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Geography > Geography > Geography > pay > DDR food quality. No seriously, a lot of applicants try and do pro and cons and then some sort of math and they fail every time. This is a gut decision 99%.

 

[cake45]

I'm just a lowly med student as well, but from what I gather you seem like a strong applicant. Your school ranking seems like the only thing that might hold you back, but with those great scores it probably doesn't matter. Based on this article through AAMC, Apply smart in psychiatry: New data to consider - Careers In Medicine, for a US MD the point of diminishing returns for apps is 13. If you're being cautious maybe 24-28 programs (just a guess).

But I am curious though. Why do you like Miami? Is it the program or the location? I haven't heard much about it tbh.

Thanks for the link!! Ending up in Miami would be ideal because that's where I'm from and where my family lives. I would like to have a strong support system during residency

 

[Lunzio]

Geography > Geography > Geography > pay > DDR food quality. No seriously, a lot of applicants try and do pro and cons and then some sort of math and they fail every time. This is a gut decision 99%.

I definitely agree - I'm a stickler for organizing when/where/with whom so a spreadsheet could be helpful with "evaluating" the program, but its moreso just wanted to get a better grasp on the overall picture/ID.

EDIT: There used to be a document "Excel NRMP Match Tracker" that was available for download but the website does not currently work.

 

[MrWonderful]

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[notamindreader]

Step 1: 214 USMLE / 521 COMLEX I
Step 2 CK/ CS: 622 COMLEX II, Passed the clinical one
School: well known DO school
Class Rank: Top 25% i think but not positive
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): Honors in IM, Peds, Cardio, FM, and OMM (all cores at my school); High Pass in OB/GYN; Pass in surgery and unfortunately Psych (the attending forgot to fill it out and turned it in months later only giving me pass). Whatever.
AOA: ---
Research/ Publications: case report on addictions submitted for publication, unpublished Neuroscience research, supportive role in Neurology lab, and one oral presentation on addictions & ADHD.
Extracurriculars: Healthcare-related provisional patent holder, business owner, President of my undergrad class. 18 years of volunteering & fundraising for a single organization. my resume is very geared toward my interest in healthcare innovation and business. Also did some volunteering in providing counseling to the M1s who fail their exams.
Quality of LORs if known: I expect them to be very strong
Red flags: none really. My only concern is the PASS in Psych clerkship but this was a really old attending who turned it in 2 months late... bummer.
Where you would like to end up: whichever program I am the best fit with. I would be happy to travel anywhere in the country if I truly felt at home there. all else being equal I'd prefer to stay in the northeast where my family lives.

What do you think would make a program have a good fit for you? If geography has no constraints, then you'll have to narrow your focus due to some other metric. Also, a pass in psychiatry is not a deal breaker for some programs.

 

[MrWonderful]

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[Taddy Mason]

Step 1: 220 -230
Step 2 CK/ CS: Taking CK end of Sep. and CS in mid Nov. (currently waiting for a test date in an earlier reporting window to become available).
School: Unranked midwest school
Class Rank: Bottom 20%
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): H/P/F - straight P in all clerkships and no pre-clinical failures.
AOA:
Research/ Publications: 2 years in social psychology, 1 in neuropsychology, 2 working on clinical trials, and 1 year in trauma but nothing to show for any of it.
Extracurriculars: A lot. Demonstrates a strong commitment to community service, mentoring, and teaching.
Quality of LORs if known: 1 solid IM, a strong Psych one, Psych Dept. chair at my school, and another IM one (not sure of quality, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't a solid LOR at the very least).
Red flags: Took a LOA during the first rotation of 3rd year. The reason for the LOA is legit and clearly explained in my MSPE.
Where you would like to end up: Dream - Oregon. Spouse prefers the Twin Cities or Vermont, but as long as I end up in a solid program with decent psychotherapy training, solid rotations in institutional settings (e.g., prison, state hospital), and good exposure to forensic psych I'd be happy.

Advising at my school is abysmal so I'm pretty much on my own in coming-up with a list of programs. For my list I basically excluded any program in an area my spouse or I absolutely would not want to live (mainly the SW and most of the SE) and narrowed down the rest based on info from program websites (Step scores, number of DOs and FMGs/IMGs - nothing against you guys, but unfortunately it is what it is). So if it seems random or doesn't make sense that's probably why.

Reach: Minnesota, OHSU, UMich, UVA, Dartmouth, Tulane, UChicago.

Reach/Target: Colorado, Iowa, Loyola, Indiana, Cincinnati, Vermont, Brown, Utah, UT Austin, Vandy, MUSC, UNC.

Target: Boston University, UMass, Maryland, Wake, Cleveland Clinic, THE Ohio State, Thomas Jefferson, Wisconsin, MCW - Milwaukee.

Safety/Target: Penn.

Safety: UConn, Maine Medical Center, Michigan State, HCMC, Case Western, Toledo, Temple

No Idea: Rush, UMissouri - Columbia, SLU

Any critiques of my list or other programs I should consider are appreciated. I'm open to programs in NY but have no idea where to begin looking, so any NY recommendations are also appreciated.

 

[clausewitz2]

Step 1: 222
Step 2 CK/ CS: Taking CK end of Sep. and CS as late as possible.
School: Unranked midwest school
Class Rank: Bottom 20%
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): H/P/F - straight P in all clerkships and no pre-clinical failures.
AOA:
Research/ Publications: 2 years in social psychology, 1 in neuropsychology, 2 working on clinical trials, and 1 year in trauma but nothing to show for any of it.
Extracurriculars: School committee involved in clinical curriculum planning, mentoring disadvantaged youth, tutoring 1st year med students, several organizations involved in community service projects, class rep. for state medical board. Many of my ECs prior to, and in med school demonstrate a strong interest in psych.
Quality of LORs if known: VERY strong (not just my opinion). 2 IM, 1 psych. Currently working on obtaining one more psych LOR.
Red flags: Took a LOA during the first rotation of 3rd year for more time to study for Step 1 due to taking care of a family member with significant mental health issues during the end of 2nd year and all of our dedicated study time.
Where you would like to end up: Dream - Oregon. Spouse prefers the Twin Cities or nearby, but as long as I end up in a solid program with decent psychotherapy training and the opportunity to rotate through institutional settings (e.g., prison, state hospital) I'd be happy.

Advising at my school is abysmal so I'm pretty much on my own in coming-up with a list of programs. For my initial list I basically excluded any program in an area my spouse or I absolutely would not want to live (mainly the SW and most of the SE) and narrowed down the rest based on info from program websites (Step scores, number of DOs and FMGs/IMGs - nothing against you guys, but unfortunately it is what it is). So if it seems random or doesn't make sense that's probably why.

Reach: Minnesota, OHSU, UMich, UVA, Dartmouth.

Reach/Target: Colorado, Iowa, Loyola, Indiana, Cincinnati, Vermont.

Target: Boston University, UMass, Maryland, Wake Forest, Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State, Thomas Jefferson, Wisconsin, MCW - Milwaukee.

Safety/Target: Penn.

Safety: UConn, Maine Medical Center, Michigan State, Hennepin County, Case Western, Toledo, Temple

No Idea: Rush, Tufts, Mayo (Rochester), UMissouri - Columbia.

Any critiques of my list or other programs I should consider are appreciated. I'm open to programs in NY but have no idea where to begin looking, so any NY recommendations are also appreciated. I've also considered IM/Psych programs but I've received mixed opinons from attendings about going that route and honestly don't feel I'm competitive enough.

So do you have some very strong personal connection to Oregon? Having family there if you did not grow up there may not be enough, OHSU seem surprisingly invested in only choosing people with a sufficiently compelling reason to be there specifically.

 

[Taddy Mason]

So do you have some very strong personal connection to Oregon? Having family there if you did not grow up there may not be enough, OHSU seem surprisingly invested in only choosing people with a sufficiently compelling reason to be there specifically.

Both my wife and I have family in that area that we visit pretty regularly, and we'd like to end up in western OR after I'm done with residency/fellowship. For the past several years there have been 1-2 grads from my school each year that have matched at OHSU in various programs including psych (some who I know have 0 connections to OR other than wanting to live and practice there). That said, I fully realize OHSU is a long shot but figure it can't hurt to at least try.

 

[SourceOfDenial]

Both my wife and I have family in that area that we visit pretty regularly, and we'd like to end up in western OR after I'm done with residency/fellowship. For the past several years there have been 1-2 grads from my school each year that have matched at OHSU in various programs including psych (some who I know have 0 connections to OR other than wanting to live and practice there). That said, I fully realize OHSU is a long shot but figure it can't hurt to at least try.

If you're interested in institutional experience and looking at UC and IU, it's worth checkout out Louisville. It's the Portland of the SE and a fair amount of time at the state hospital(with a forensic unit) and electives/moonlighting possible at a psychiatric correctional facility.

 

[PabloPabloPablo]

Deleted for anonymity

 

[clausewitz2]

If you're interested in institutional experience and looking at UC and IU, it's worth checkout out Louisville. It's the Portland of the SE and a fair amount of time at the state hospital(with a forensic unit) and electives/moonlighting possible at a psychiatric correctional facility.

I like Louisville okay but it is the Portland of the SE strictly in the sense that there is a neighborhood called Portland. And also there are some hipsters.

 

[SourceOfDenial]

I like Louisville okay but it is the Portland of the SE strictly in the sense that there is a neighborhood called Portland. And also there are some hipsters.

Meh, there are residents and attendings who moved from OR to KY and make the comparisons. Take from that what you will.

 

[pyrrion89]

Geography > Geography > Geography > pay > DDR food quality. No seriously, a lot of applicants try and do pro and cons and then some sort of math and they fail every time. This is a gut decision 99%.

Perhaps some of it is influenced by people who apply to more than 1 specialty, so it would never hit 100% into psychiatry because even if everyone who applied to psych got into psych, perhaps they ranked another program in another specialty higher, and went into that instead.

 

[pyrrion89]

*bump*

Trimmed some fat off my school list. Would really appreciate some advice on where to apply though. This is kind of a hodge-podge. Best I could do.

Reach:
- Beth Israel Deaconess
- Brigham & Women's
- Massachusetts General
- WashU
- Stanford
- UCSF

Target:
- Northwestern
- University of Chicago
- University of Illinois at Chicago
- Rush

"Medium/High-tier" on the list:
- Indiana University, University of Wisconsin - Madison, OHSU, Mayo

"Medium/Low-tier" on the list:
- University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Hennepin County, Loyola, Southern Illinois, St. Louis University

Safety:
- Advocate Health Care, Rosalind Franklin, University of Illinois - Peoria, University of Illinois - Urbana

Seems like your application is great. Not sure why your reaches are targets.

 

[psychdreamin18]

throwaway account :/

Step 1:200-205
Step 2 CK/ CS: 215-220
School: midwest MD school
Class Rank: bottom quartile
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): Pass in surgery and OB high pass in everything else with honor in psych
AOA: uh nooo...
Research/ Publications: psych research for years prior to med school, 2 publications in psych, a few poster presentations related to psych, psych research during medical school, psych award
Extracurriculars: admission volunteer, psych orgs, student government, and other student org leadership roles
Quality of LORs if known: i know 1 will be good from my mentor since M1 year, but they haven't worked with me in a clinical role then 2 more psych LORs one from a chair and one from a new attending then my non psych letter is IM
Red flags: medical LOA (explained in my PS)
Where you would like to end up: Henry Ford or Wayne State after that midwest

i was hoping my step 2 score was going to be better! i was disappointed when i got my score today to say the least. how many programs do I need to apply to?? I'm starting to worry!

 

[buckhoughton]

Step 1:235-240
Step 2 CK/ CS: 230-235
School: non-prestigious MD in the south
Class Rank: 3rd quartile
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): 3 HP (including psych) + 3 P, all with strong comments. (performed average on the shelf exams)
AOA: No chance
Research/ Publications: None
Extracurriculars: Leadership in mental health organizations, bunch of volunteer work.
Quality of LORs if known: 2 very solid, 2 unknown
Red flags: Downtrend in CK?
Where you would like to end up: Philly, Jersey, maryland or DC.
Ex. Penn, Drexel, Temple, Jeff, Cooper, RWJ, NJMS, Sheppard-Pratt, GW, Gtown.

Slightly worried about my Step 2 score, and I wouldn't be your typical med student if i didn't neurotically post about it online. Just curious as to how worried I should be. Thanks for the help

 

[DisorderedDoc417]

Step 1:235-240
Step 2 CK/ CS: 230-235
School: non-prestigious MD in the south
Class Rank: 3rd quartile
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system): 3 HP (including psych) + 3 P, all with strong comments. (performed average on the shelf exams)
AOA: No chance
Research/ Publications: None
Extracurriculars: Leadership in mental health organizations, bunch of volunteer work.
Quality of LORs if known: 2 very solid, 2 unknown
Red flags: Downtrend in CK?
Where you would like to end up: Philly, Jersey, maryland or DC.
Ex. Penn, Drexel, Temple, Jeff, Cooper, RWJ, NJMS, Sheppard-Pratt, GW, Gtown.

Slightly worried about my Step 2 score, and I wouldn't be your typical med student if i didn't neurotically post about it online. Just curious as to how worried I should be. Thanks for the help

I scored just a hair better in step 1 and step 2. Barely really. Door was wide open. You'll be fine!

 

[buckhoughton]

I scored just a hair better in step 1 and step 2. Barely really. Door was wide open. You'll be fine!

Thanks! Good to know

 

[Wonton Soup]

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[clozareal]

Low-tier MD school. 240 Step 1, 253 Step 2; 4 pubs + 1 presentation. Currently involved in research. Decent EC's, no leadership activities, community service and interprofessional distinction award in med school.

Looking to apply to ~35 programs, majority of them being "top tier" on west coast (UCSF, OHSU, UW), Northeast (UPMC- did an away rotation here; NYU, Columbia, Mass gen), Midwest (Chicago, Northwestern) and a few south (UNC, Vanderbilt, UF, Tulane). Would most prefer either Northeast or Northwest. Am I shooting too high/can I get away with applying to less programs?

You can definitely apply to less programs given the strength of your application - you're likely in the top 10-15% of psychiatry applicants. I don't think you'll need to apply to any more than 15 programs, maybe 20 programs MAX. You'll likely get an interview at most of the programs you mentioned, especially with your interest in research. This is of course unless you have something programs would have some reservations about (low tier MD school is in the Caribbean/UK, needing a visa, etc).

 

[clozareal]

*bump*

Trimmed some fat off my school list. Would really appreciate some advice on where to apply though. This is kind of a hodge-podge. Best I could do.

Reach:
- Beth Israel Deaconess
- Brigham & Women's
- Massachusetts General
- WashU
- Stanford
- UCSF

Target:
- Northwestern
- University of Chicago
- University of Illinois at Chicago
- Rush

"Medium/High-tier" on the list:
- Indiana University, University of Wisconsin - Madison, OHSU, Mayo

"Medium/Low-tier" on the list:
- University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Hennepin County, Loyola, Southern Illinois, St. Louis University

Safety:
- Advocate Health Care, Rosalind Franklin, University of Illinois - Peoria, University of Illinois - Urbana

This list looks good to me with your application. 32 is too many unless you're couple's matching. Consider trimming about 15-20 programs from your list since you might have trouble scheduling conflicting interviews which will be more troublesome to programs that you actually would want to go to.

 

[Wonton Soup]

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[clozareal]

How many safety/low tier schools do I need? I'm so worried I'm going to mess this up. My interviewing skills have fluctuated in the past, so I'm paranoid that I'm going to blow several interviews.

Not many. I had about 3-5 low tier/safety schools, and didn't get an interview at a majority of them. I think programs know how to gauge application strength and won't waste their time with someone who they know is applying to their school as a safety school.

Interviewing for residency is by far much easier than for medical school, especially for psychiatry where they basically want to get to know who you are (and maybe analyze you a bit). You'll get better as the interview cycle goes on too. And then you'll peak, plateau, and then start not to care anymore towards the end. It's the natural progression of residency interviews.

 

[box8psych]

Step 1: 215
Step 2 CK/ CS: 233
School: Lower tier NE school
Class Rank: Not sure, but definitely lower half preclinical, much higher clinical
Clerkship Grades (specify if H/P/F system):
Honors: Psych, Medicine, Neuro, Family, OB/GYN
High Pass: Surgery, Pediatrics
Every clinical review I've had has been overwhelmingly positive. All mention excellent communication skills, patient interactions, and clinical ability. My guess is that my MSPE will be one of the stronger parts of my app (I promise I'm not arrogant, just relaying what has been written about me).
AOA: Nope
Research/ Publications:
Retrospective clinical study in surgery - Publication (2nd author) and large conference lecture.
Neuro-oncology bench research - abstract (3rd author).
Patient Case report - PMR publication (first author).
Undergrad cognitive neuroscience imaging - poster at neuroscience conference, successful thesis defense.
Also worked as a research assistant on neuro-imaging studies for one year at a top 5 institution, unfortunately no pub as of yet
Extracurriculars:
Student leadership (4 years), student research forum committee (planned/organized and ran event), participated in my school's LCME accreditation, ran 2 sports clubs (basketball and softball)
2 years working as behavior interventionist prior to med school. I've have been working with children with developmental disabilities in some capacity since I was 15, whether volunteering or as a paid mentor.
Quality of LORs if known:
Two from psychiatry (one from home institution, one from an away at my top program), one pediatrics (may be my strongest). I'm sure they'll all be positive, but most likely won't set me apart from the pack.
Red flags: Step scores?
Where you would like to end up: Ideally, Southern California (born and raised, also went to undergrad there), but I realize this has become a quite the challenge, especially given my sub-par Step 1 score. Anywhere in the NE (NYC optimal) and other west coast-ish place (Arizona, Washington, Oregon). I'm also open to places in the Midwest and South that are strong programs and/or in more "desirable" cities (Texas, New Orleans, NC schools, etc).

The main reason I am posting is because I'm having a lot of trouble narrowing down my list. I have ~70 schools right now that include essentially every school on the West Coast and NE, and then schools in any other city I could possibly see myself in. I'm really just unsure about how strong other aspects of my app are and if/how much they can help bolster my chances. Any and all input is welcome. Thanks in advance!

 

[Alpha_Waves]

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