U. of Wash- Seattle

[nortomaso]

ANY info on this program would be very much appreciated as I'm considering canceling my interview there so that I can abbreviate my West Caost swing.

Thanks

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[alina_s]

Why cancel Washington? Because it's the only program in the state and requires its own flight? It seems like a great program- public, with a commitment to the underserved, urban but with a mission for the whole WWAMI area and lots of rural options, a research university with a neuroscience program, and good therapy training. It's on the large side for a psych program and Seattle is a somewhat pricey city to live in (although not nearly as bad as San Francisco or NY and probably a little cheaper than Chicago).

 

[nortomaso]

Why cancel Washington? Because it's the only program in the state and requires its own flight? It seems like a great program- public, with a commitment to the underserved, urban but with a mission for the whole WWAMI area and lots of rural options, a research university with a neuroscience program, and good therapy training. It's on the large side for a psych program and Seattle is a somewhat pricey city to live in (although not nearly as bad as San Francisco or NY and probably a little cheaper than Chicago).

Basically, I'm pressed for time and have already seen programs that I like. Nothing about UW stood out to me from reading their website. Also, I've heard several times in these forums that the residents at UW are mostly married and do their own thing. I'm single and on the East Coast. If I'm going to transplant myself 3000 miles for residency, I'd really like tight-knit group of residents who like to have fun together. If this info is inaccurate, please correct me! I still haven't canceled.

 

[MDgonnabe]

if your priority is a close group of residents, washington wouldn't be a good place for you. i spent some time at ohsu last month and spoke with many former uwash med students (currently psych residents at ohsu). they told me the psych residents at uwash are so high in numbers and so scattered across many different hospitals (if not cities due to the spokane track) that there really wasn't that much of a group feel.

glad you've found places you like closer to home, though.

 

[nortomaso]

if your priority is a close group of residents, washington wouldn't be a good place for you. i spent some time at ohsu last month and spoke with many former uwash med students (currently psych residents at ohsu). they told me the psych residents at uwash are so high in numbers and so scattered across many different hospitals (if not cities due to the spokane track) that there really wasn't that much of a group feel.

glad you've found places you like closer to home, though.

MDgonnabe, thanks so much for chiming in. That clinched it for me.

 

[JMD]

What's the word on OHSU's program? I won't be applying until next year, but Portland seems like a great place location-wise... haven't heard much about their psych. residency/dept. though (including from my program director, who says that this is the one west coast program she doesn't know much about). Thanks for any replies.

 

[atsai3]

What's the word on OHSU's program? I won't be applying until next year, but Portland seems like a great place location-wise... haven't heard much about their psych. residency/dept. though (including from my program director, who says that this is the one west coast program she doesn't know much about). Thanks for any replies.

I would have liked to interview there because I've always heard great things about Portland. They run a psych clinic for (mostly) southeast Asian refugees that is pretty unique. But unfortunately they didn't get back to me with an interview offer until I had scheduled most of my west coast interviews, and I didn't think it was worth a separate trip, so I had to decline.

Looking over the Web site, I noticed two things: 1) most of the residents are from OHSU, and 2) the program has a lot of VA time. Other than that, I don't know much about the program...

-AT.

 

[MDgonnabe]

Looking over the Web site, I noticed two things: 1) most of the residents are from OHSU, and 2) the program has a lot of VA time. Other than that, I don't know much about the program...

-AT.

yes, they do indeed like to recycle their own med students, mainly b/c i'd imagine a lot of people want to stay in the area for family and it's either ohsu or uwash. but it is a great program. very laid back. pd is a wonderfully nice, down to earth gentleman. excellent psychotherapy didactics. they'll kill me for saying so, but one week we watched a bit of the sopranos and analyzed what the shrink character was doing. true, lots of va time, but i personally grew to like the va system in many ways. it's a unique pt population with lots of interesting stories; and their electronic chart system is amazing. you find medical records of things that most patients themselves wouldn't remember happened to them a decade ago. and it's like "wow! i can even read the surgery notes!!!" i'm still in the process of scheduling my west coast interviews so hopefully they'll get back to me sometime. only downside is that the program doesn't have a c-l fellowship, and that's a huge plus for me since i want to do c-l... also, the intercultural psych program there, i'm not too sure that residents rotate in any way through it. maybe they could by special request, but as far as i heard it's not something that's typically done. anyway, just my two cents.