Triple Board

[Elle726]

Hi! I read the thread about the TB in the combined residencies area but I have some concerns that I thought maybe could be answered here.

I am about to start my 4th year in a state school. I have known I wanted to do psych for a long time and I have even PMed some people here before with some questions.

When I started my 3rd year I was leaning towards psych (because I have always liked it) but I was also open to peds. I did psych first and I was sure that was what I wanted to do but then I did peds and... I still like it! Still, I decided that I loved psych more and I saw myself more in psych so I just ignored my love of peds.

However, someone recently suggested that I look into the TB.

My concerns are:

If I apply for the TB, how will this make me look if I also apply for regular psych programs? Will they know I did this? Will they think I am not committed to psych?

Will I really get the training I need in 1.5 years in psych and 1.5 years in Peds?

What should I write in my personal statement?

How hard is it to get into?

About me: US grad, 216 step 1, Low As and one High B (OBGYN) in my 3rd year clerkships (my school does not give high pass/honors, etc). I did 1 research project in psychiatry and pediatrics during my first year summer but did not publish (but my mentor has offered to give me a letter of recommendation). I have done and am currently involved in community service in both psychiatry and pediatrics related fields.

Studying for my step 2 now. Took a practice test last week and got a 237 so hopefully I will do good on the real thing!

Does anyone have any advice?

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[twright]

If I apply for the TB, how will this make me look if I also apply for regular psych programs? Will they know I did this? Will they think I am not committed to psych?

This will not be a problem. Many people do this. (A program director might find it more problematic if you applied to peds programs and TB programs but not psych programs.) In any case, there is no systematic national way to 'know'. If the psych program director at UW is besties with the TB program director at MSSM and they spend half an hour looking at their applicant lists to figure it out, then they would know. But they are too busy to be doing things like that.

Will I really get the training I need in 1.5 years in psych and 1.5 years in Peds?

I don't see how you could. But that's just me.

What should I write in my personal statement?

Something personal. That's why no one on SDN will be much help.

 

[whopper]

I know a few triple-boarders. My personal opinion is as a whole they don't know psychiatry or Peds as well as their colleagues that only went into one field. While that may sound as a criticism, at the same time, there is a need for people in this area who've dominated the interface between the two, and in that area, these people are outstanding. This area is of great concern to me because there is, IMHO, an over-medication culture of children going on in psychiatry.

I'll have to ask one of my colleagues in the TB program more about this to answer your question, but unfortunately I don't see her often-on the order of once every few weeks.

 

[nitemagi]

Will I really get the training I need in 1.5 years in psych and 1.5 years in Peds?

I believe triple boarding programs are 5 years, not 3.

What these programs tend to cut out is all elective time, so forget about a lot of time in psychotherapy, for example.

 

[Elle726]

yes they are 5 years. From what I have read it is 2 years in child, 1.5 in peds and 1.5 in psych.

 

[TexasPhysician]

yes they are 5 years. From what I have read it is 2 years in child, 1.5 in peds and 1.5 in psych.

Correct

 

[BobA]

Given the fact that most people who do a combined program end up picking one or the other, I think there are really only two good reasons to do a combined program. (1) you want to be a leader in the field (world's best child-psych consult attending, for example), or (2) you can't decided what to do.

Very few people are going to be in a position where being double-boarded in peds and child psych will really really help them. Heck, you could still be the world's best child psych consult attending without the board in peds. You could also be an amazing pediatrician who sees medicaid child psych patients, but you'd lose money and your hair from the stress (good child psych appointments take more time and medicaid reimbursement is terrible).

Since you will ultimately end up doing either peds or child psych, doing triple board would be a costly way to avoid making a decision. However, picking the wrong specialty could also be costly and so the TB could make sense then. I thought a lot about combined programs, and probably would have done one if psych/IM programs were in more desirable locations.

 

[Elle726]

I have been thinking about it lately and I'm leaning more towards not doing it. I really love psych I think doing peds would just be because I want to be the best child psych consult attending as you stated it but like you said you can be that without the TB.

I just feel like I might start to feel overwhelmed during the first year of peds and I might wish I would have done just psych and I might be miserable but it will be too late.

 

[michaelrack]

Given the fact that most people who do a combined program end up picking one or the other, I think there are really only two good reasons to do a combined program. (1) you want to be a leader in the field (world's best child-psych consult attending, for example),.

A combined program won't, IMHO, make you a leader in any field. It takes too much time to keep up in the various components you are combining, and you miss out on some of the necessary training (psychotherapy)