Apply on day one. I applied 10 hours after the ERAS opened for applications. I got my first interview in mid October - before many have even applied. Sometimes your application may be missing an LoR or even a USMLE step 2 score. You can always add it later. Granted you may not get some interviews till your application is complete. However I got 5 interviews with one USMLE score during my first match season. (I did not match that season since I took step 2 really late.)
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Which One?
There are over 170 Psych programs in the USA. I applied to all of them. Of course this is expensive and I could afford it. However it is not necessary to apply to all of them. Yet it is necessary to apply to many if you are an IMG. Depending on your USMLE scores, CV and other factors you should apply to over a 100 programs. Most people approach applying by asking themselves "should I apply to this program?" I believe you should ask yourself "why shouldn't I apply to this program?" When in doubt, apply. You should aim high yet also play it safe. I received interviews at many prestigious places. I had a 85 on step 1 and 78 on step 2 yet received 48 invites including 7 in California. Yet I played it safe and went to many unappealing interviews as well. At the least, aim for 20 interviews. However at least 15 of them should not be super competitive. I have seen many IMGs apply to under 40 places due to financial reasons and end up going thru another match. One match is enough I feel.
All Sizes and Shapes
Not all psych residencies are created equal. I can say this after interviewing at about 1 out of 3 psych programs in the USA. I have been to programs ranging from depressing asylums to prestigious programs. I matched somewhere in the middle.
University programs are thought to be the most desirable. Then you get university-affiliated programs. Lastly you get community programs. However some people prefer community programs over university programs due to the patient population and the greater psychopathology. Of course these are generalizations. I found the community programs in California to be highly desirable compared to the community programs in the New York area.
Geography is another variable. Some great programs are in terrible places. The reverse is true as well. This is a huge factor in the competitiveness of a program. For example Northern California is extremely competitive. So is the Raleigh research triangle in North Carolina (Duke and UNC.) One horse towns (Mobile, Alabama and Jackson, Mississippi) and inner city slummy locales are usually more IMG friendly.
Another variable is if the program is IMG friendly and visa friendly. A good gauge to this is to look at where the current residents come from. Although many disagree, often a way to measure how good a program is to see the % of US grads. Of course ultimately finding an ideal program is to see which one fits you.
Also some programs emphasize psychotherapy (especially the psychoanalytical type) and others don't. Most programs will say they are well balanced between being biological and psychological. There is not too much leeway as there are minimum requirements set by the ACGME. However I noticed differences.
Some programs have many research opportunities. The 2 types of research are clinical and basic
science. Clinical is more common. Basic science research in psychiatry usually entails expensive equipment.
University programs are thought to be the most desirable. Then you get university-affiliated programs. Lastly you get community programs. However some people prefer community programs over university programs due to the patient population and the greater psychopathology. Of course these are generalizations. I found the community programs in California to be highly desirable compared to the community programs in the New York area.
Geography is another variable. Some great programs are in terrible places. The reverse is true as well. This is a huge factor in the competitiveness of a program. For example Northern California is extremely competitive. So is the Raleigh research triangle in North Carolina (Duke and UNC.) One horse towns (Mobile, Alabama and Jackson, Mississippi) and inner city slummy locales are usually more IMG friendly.
Another variable is if the program is IMG friendly and visa friendly. A good gauge to this is to look at where the current residents come from. Although many disagree, often a way to measure how good a program is to see the % of US grads. Of course ultimately finding an ideal program is to see which one fits you.
Also some programs emphasize psychotherapy (especially the psychoanalytical type) and others don't. Most programs will say they are well balanced between being biological and psychological. There is not too much leeway as there are minimum requirements set by the ACGME. However I noticed differences.
Some programs have many research opportunities. The 2 types of research are clinical and basic
science. Clinical is more common. Basic science research in psychiatry usually entails expensive equipment.
