Transitional/Preliminary Year??

[roady]

Can anyone please explain whether a transitional year or a prelimanary year before beginning a psychiatry residency is (1)Possible? (2)A good idea?

Thank you very much~

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[Anasazi23]

1. It is possible.

2. It's a mixed bag. On the one hand, you gain extra medicine exposure, which is always useful. On the other hand, you'll sacrifice inpatient exposure (most likely) and will have many less open slots in which to apply. Most psych residencies take PGY-1s and keep them for 4 years, not PGY-2s who must seek out open PGY-2 slots. Though like I said, the spots do exist.

 

[roady]

Anasazi23--thank you for your helpful reply! I understand the hesitancy, but if you did have to choose, which would be better--a transitional or preliminary year option? Why??

Anyone else have thoughts/considerations regarding the transitional/preliminary year option for those heading into psychiatry?

Finally: anyone ever hear of 3 year psychiatry programs--or is there no such thing???

Thank you very much for your time and consideration~

 

[Anasazi23]

I would go with the current standard and do the 'all-in-one' psych residency with the normal PGY-1 year at the same institution that the residency is. This allows the advantage of getting to know the intracicies of the hospital, the personnel, the psych faculty earlier, and more inpatient exposure, which is aggravating at times, but helpful.

Then after all that, you have to scour the country looking for PGY-II slots open for psychiatry. I'm not sure it's worth it from the beginning.

To address your second question: I'm not aware of any three year psychiatry residencies.

 

[roady]

I would go with the current standard and do the 'all-in-one' psych residency with the normal PGY-1 year at the same institution that the residency is. This allows the advantage of getting to know the intracicies of the hospital, the personnel, the psych faculty earlier, and more inpatient exposure, which is aggravating at times, but helpful.

Then after all that, you have to scour the country looking for PGY-II slots open for psychiatry. I'm not sure it's worth it from the beginning.

To address your second question: I'm not aware of any three year psychiatry residencies.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts, Anasazi23! I appreciate it.

Anyone else have any thoughts to add? Thanks~!

 

[BCS_001]

Hey Roady,

I am considering a year of internal medicine, prior to my psych residency, but only if I stay at my home (medical school) institution. My reasons for wanting to do a year of medicine are (1) interests in med-psych issues, such as AIDs and Hep C psych, substance abuse and (2) wanting to leave the city I am currently living in for a year elsewhere if I decided to stay here. Otherwise, I will probably do a four year program elsewhere, because as Anasazi mentioned, it would be important to use the first year to get to know the hospital, the psych faculty, etc.

I will note that the psych faculty at my school are very encouraging of a year in medicine, as many of them did just that. I'm not sure if it used to be more common in the past or if my faculty just includes a unique group of people.

Good luck!

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts, Anasazi23! I appreciate it.

Anyone else have any thoughts to add? Thanks~!