TY resident considering switch to psych--advice?

[Immortality]

Hey all--

I'm a brand new TY resident and I have matched into a strong rads program to start next year. I have been having a change of heart regarding radiology over the past 6 months or so and have been thinking a lot about my original passion and motivation to enter medical school--psychiatry--especially after completing a psych sub-I a few months ago.

I have strong scores--step 1 250s, step 2 260s, honors in almost all pre-clin and clin rotations, strong evals, AOA, etc, and multiple psych and rads pubs, with psych background b4 med school including a year of dedicated psych research at NIMH. Given this, how easy or not would it be to try to land a PGY-2 psych spot next year? I graduated from a top 40 or so US med school.

Also, would my TY year count for a Psych PGY-1? Any changes to these rules from prior years with the new ACGME guidelines? My program has 5 months of in-patient medicine, 1 ICU, 1 ED, no neuro.

Any and all help is appreciated.

I

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[peppy]

You should be able to easily find a spot in a good psych program with that kind of background. Some programs hold a PGY-2 spot every year because they want to attract good people switching out of other specialties.
A transitional year counts as a PGY-1 in psych and you would still be able to graduate on time. Though I don't know offhand if it would be mandatory to do the neuro rotations, it'd surely be helpful for the PRITE and board exam.
Good luck!

 

[heyjack70]

There are psych intern year requirements, most of which would be satisfied during a typical TY, except possibly 2 months of neurology which would be completed within the psych program (somewhere in PGY2-4) if needed.

 

[peiyueng]

You should be able to easily find a spot in a good psych program with that kind of background. Some programs hold a PGY-2 spot every year because they want to attract good people switching out of other specialties.
A transitional year counts as a PGY-1 in psych and you would still be able to graduate on time. Though I don't know offhand if it would be mandatory to do the neuro rotations, it'd surely be helpful for the PRITE and board exam.
Good luck!

I interviewed at New Mexico's program. They have 2 r-2 spots each year. It is a very strong program. As an R-2, you don't have to go through the formal match. I liked their program a lot. However, as it turns out, I could not enter there as an R-2. For, I did a DO internship. I didn't want to do four years, so now I am at an DO residency as an R-2.

When I interviewed, there was another fellow who was applying for R-2. He was in OB and he was going to still be able to start as an R-2.

check out their web site and you will see a video of their program
cheers.

 

[LEdaddy]

UW in Seattle also holds open PGY2 spots.

 

[BobA]

Many places take PGY2's regularly - Hopkins, Dartmouth, others

 

[kitsens]

you can accomplish this and find an exceptional program. exceptional = one where you will thrive with your scores

but make sure you have good reason and intention to switch because you will be appropriately challenged to explain

PM in the next few months if this is a final decision.

 

[SomeDoc]

Hey all--

I'm a brand new TY resident and I have matched into a strong rads program to start next year. I have been having a change of heart regarding radiology over the past 6 months or so and have been thinking a lot about my original passion and motivation to enter medical school--psychiatry--especially after completing a psych sub-I a few months ago.

I have strong scores--step 1 250s, step 2 260s, honors in almost all pre-clin and clin rotations, strong evals, AOA, etc, and multiple psych and rads pubs, with psych background b4 med school including a year of dedicated psych research at NIMH. Given this, how easy or not would it be to try to land a PGY-2 psych spot next year? I graduated from a top 40 or so US med school.

Also, would my TY year count for a Psych PGY-1? Any changes to these rules from prior years with the new ACGME guidelines? My program has 5 months of in-patient medicine, 1 ICU, 1 ED, no neuro.

Any and all help is appreciated.

I

I was in a very similar predicament a few months ago, however I chose not to rank prelim IM and pgy-2 Radiology programs, and went with my heart. I truly wish you the best of luck in your endeavours, and hope that you get into a program of your choice, where you will flourish and grow profesionally and personally. It's a great field.

 

[Immortality]

Thank you everyone for the great advice and info. I really appreciate the encouragement and positive tone.

Any guidance on how to identify programs that offer spots starting in PGY-2? I don't think this information is available on FREIDA online and I can't identify much with google searches, etc. I guess I should start sending messages to individual programs to inquire?

Is, anyone aware of any programs in California or other western states that offer PGY-2 positions (other than U Washington which I was excited to hear about)?

 

[BobA]

Thank you everyone for the great advice and info. I really appreciate the encouragement and positive tone.

Any guidance on how to identify programs that offer spots starting in PGY-2? I don't think this information is available on FREIDA online and I can't identify much with google searches, etc. I guess I should start sending messages to individual programs to inquire?

Is, anyone aware of any programs in California or other western states that offer PGY-2 positions (other than U Washington which I was excited to hear about)?

The best way to do this would be to contact programs you are interested in individually. I'm sure you thought of this, but resident swap would be a good place to look as well. There may be some psych resident in LA or SD who'd love your rads spot and you two could switch.

PGY2 spots aren't that well advertised because programs don't always know in advance how many and if they will have spots available. Sometimes a certain number of PGY2 spots are always left open (to target talented people who want to change fields), sometimes programs have an abundance of 3rd year residents fast-tracking into Child and need extra people, sometimes people leave their programs. So it's not as organized as one would hope.

Congrats on your bold move.