what are pysch residency interviews like?

[sikegeek]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Other than the obvious "why do you want to go into psych?" - type questions, what kinds of things are residencies interested in knowing? Do you think there is anything specific to the field of psychiatry that makes these interviews different from other specialties?

Will the psychiatrists analyze our every move in a way that only someone trained in psychiatry could? I didn't realize how scary this would be. I always thought of psychiatrists as nice people, but they have special skills. Inisight-assessing skills.....Bullcrap-detecting skills....Axis II-assessing skills....Nunchuck skills..... Bow hunting skills.........😉

Is it ok to say geographic location is an important deciding factor?

 

[atsai3]

Other than the obvious "why do you want to go into psych?" - type questions, what kinds of things are residencies interested in knowing? Do you think there is anything specific to the field of psychiatry that makes these interviews different from other specialties?

[SNIP]

Is it ok to say geographic location is an important deciding factor?

Yes, it is okay to say that geographic location is an important deciding factor. It is an important deciding factor for many medical students who are trying to figure out where they want to be.

I was only asked the "why psych" question at slightly more than half of my residency interviews. Most faculty and program directors with whom I interviewed wanted to hear more about my interests, said "do you have any more questions?" too many times, and just wanted to have a regular conversation.

"Fit" is important. When you go out for interviews, you are trying to decide if the program is a good fit for you, and they are trying to decide if you are a good fit for them. Be yourself and ask the questions that are important to you. There is something to be said for being discreet, but there are some things that are better found out sooner rather than later. If, for example, you ask "what are your maternity leave policies?" and somehow get discriminated against, well then you probably didn't want to be at that neanderthal program anyway.

-AT.

 

[Chimed]

There was only one interview that I went on where I felt I was being analyzed. And even then, it wasn't that big of a deal. The vast majority of the programs were very friendly and non-threatening. First, if you're a decent applicant, the programs are most likely going to try to convince you to rank their program high. Second, if you made the interivew, remember that they are interested in you and want to see if you are somebody they would want to work with. Just relax and be confident (not arrogant!) in yourself. You're not applying to neurosurgery!

 

[newyg]

I read somewhere that during psych IVs you are analyzed for any obvious personality disorder. You know they say to choose Psychiatry for a career you either enjoy it a lot or you are psychiatric in the first place 😉

 

[sikegeek]

I just came across this page from the APA that gives advice :

http://www.psych.org/edu/med_students/psychmatch.cfm#Attendings

 

[strangeglove]

I read somewhere that during psych IVs you are analyzed for any obvious personality disorder. You know they say to choose Psychiatry for a career you either enjoy it a lot or you are psychiatric in the first place 😉

I don't think it takes a psychiatrist to detect an "obvious" personality disorder. It certainly is true that the interview is a place where programs get to see if you are the kind of person they want to have around for 4 years. If you are a total #$%hole, then you will be less likely to get in. This is true for most specialties, but perhaps more so in psych, since there is so much time spent dealing with people at an emotional level. This includes not only interaction with your patients, but also interactions with your attendings and resident colleagues.

I think that this idea about psychiatrists choosing the field because they are "crazy" to begin with is pretty outmoded. I got a lot of this from relatives when I was applying for psych. I mean, you see a lot of psychopathology in fields such as surgery and emergency medicine, including depression, substance abuse and quite a bit of Axis II stuff, but nobody ever seems to make a correlation with these fields because it doesn't fit into some sort of convenient explanation. Certainly there are many non-conformists and people with odd fashion sense within the psych world, but this does not qualify one as having a mental illness.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Other than the obvious "why do you want to go into psych?" - type questions, what kinds of things are residencies interested in knowing? Do you think there is anything specific to the field of psychiatry that makes these interviews different from other specialties?

Will the psychiatrists analyze our every move in a way that only someone trained in psychiatry could? I didn't realize how scary this would be. I always thought of psychiatrists as nice people, but they have special skills. Inisight-assessing skills.....Bullcrap-detecting skills....Axis II-assessing skills....Nunchuck skills..... Bow hunting skills.........😉

Is it ok to say geographic location is an important deciding factor?

Here's what I really want to know when I interview:
1) this is a normal, "real" person, not some "Stepford resident".
2) they have reasonable-to-superior (oral and written) communication skills.
3) they want to be in our program for some reason--geographical preference, attraction to the program, a specific recommendation, etc.
4) they want to learn and are teachable.
5) they will show up. I will be able to trust their work on call.

After that, I will perform a Vulcan mind-meld on them, arrive at a DSM-IV-TR diagnostic code , ask about their relationship with their mother, and finally, fill out a written evaluation so I can remember who they are in February...😀

 

[Chimed]

 

[sikegeek]

 

[billypilgrim37]

okay, should not read Chimed's post during rounds unless I want dirty looks for laughing at really inappropriate times...