Didnt Match Psych

[bulleface87]

I am a 4th year medical student who happened to not get into psych. Applied very broadly 100+ programs. Only took level and level 2 score was mid 500s. No red flags on my app. I had 10+ interviews and did not match. This was not something I was expecting and was caught off guard. I have had many interviews in SOAP now for categorical IM. I personally am not a fan of the location of these programs and not a fan of the programs I interviewed at in general (many HCAs). I am not sure what to do. Should I accept any offer I receive tomorrow if I receive any that is. Or should I just dual apply next year to psych?

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[DarkBluMage]

I am a 4th year medical student who happened to not get into psych. Applied very broadly 100+ programs. Only took level and level 2 score was mid 500s. No red flags on my app. I had 10+ interviews and did not match. This was not something I was expecting and was caught off guard. I have had many interviews in SOAP now for categorical IM. I personally am not a fan of the location of these programs and not a fan of the programs I interviewed at in general (many HCAs). I am not sure what to do. Should I accept any offer I receive tomorrow if I receive any that is. Or should I just dual apply next year to psych?

Why didn’t you take step? I’m assuming you got screened out at a lot of programs considering psych is becoming more competitive to match.

 

[mistafab]

Do not not match. SOAP into a spot in IM. Get a job - much easier to transfer then to try to reapply

and who knows, maybe in the end it turned out for the better

 

[bulleface87]

Why didn’t you take step? I’m assuming you got screened out at a lot of programs considering psych is becoming more competitive to match.

Failed step 1 so i didnt report it

 

[Dantes]

If you're able to take a research year, you can still apply as a US senior next year, likely in a better IM or FM program than one you can SOAP into. I would consider that if your school allows it. Although you're deferring a year's salary this way.

Barring that, get a spot and try to find a PGY-2 spot next year. I'm sorry this happened.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I’d attempt to nab a prelim spot and apply as a PGY-2 next year.

 

[nexomed]

I am so sorry this happened. I can remember classmates who were wonderful students and people who had to SOAP and how stressful it was. I want you to know that my good friend ended up in a specialty she never imagined through the SOAP and is now wildly happy after sticking it with it. I'm at the end of psychiatry training and if I were in your shoes, I would do family medicine or internal medicine for a year and really try that on. You might actually like it as a resident (and you always have the option of switching into a great psychiatry program as a PGY-2 if there is a reason that psychiatry seems like the right thing for your journey). And what's more, if you do a 3 year residency--especially in a broad-based residency like family or internal medicine, you have so many options open to you in terms of non-clinical careers--there are many doctors leaving medicine and doing a 3 year residency could let you create the career that you want sooner. Don't hesitate to reach out and good luck this week.

 

[annoyedpsychiatrist]

I am a 4th year medical student who happened to not get into psych. Applied very broadly 100+ programs. Only took level and level 2 score was mid 500s. No red flags on my app. I had 10+ interviews and did not match. This was not something I was expecting and was caught off guard. I have had many interviews in SOAP now for categorical IM. I personally am not a fan of the location of these programs and not a fan of the programs I interviewed at in general (many HCAs). I am not sure what to do. Should I accept any offer I receive tomorrow if I receive any that is. Or should I just dual apply next year to psych?

sorry this happened to you as well. it may be helpful to email the programs you interviewed at to get some feedback of how the interview went, if there was any particular issue on your app/interview

 

[calvinhobbes]

Did you end up soaping IM? If so, congrats, most important thing is that you match and become an amazing caring doctor! And yes to the above, if you really want psych, see if you can switch next year for a PGY2 spot, and let your PD know from day 1 (which I’m sure they will be okay with, since you soaped and they know that).

 

[Candidate2017]

Step 1 failure, applied 100+ programs and did not match psych? That's a sign you were meant for something else because many psych programs aren't too uptight about Step scores/failures if they feel your personality is a good fit.

The good news is you matched IM. While the first 12 months is intense, the learning curve becomes less steep and you're more than halfway home. 16-18 months in, pretty every IM PGY-2 I've met were total bosses and functioned as seniors while the PGY-3s are off interviewing for fellowships or signing hospitalist contracts, moonlighting for nice pay, and otherwise treated like jr attendings.

After finishing the hardest 12 months of IM, it would be a shame to not finish just to reapply to 100+ psych programs to, at best, given the competitive atmosphere, match at a terrible psych program, get terrible training, and be a terrible psychiatrist. And it isn't likely you'll be a better psych applicant after a year of IM.

Personally, I don't think some of the pros of psychiatry are as great as people think, and I would have been content to do any other specialty not called OB-GYN or neurology.

 

[DarkBluMage]

Step 1 failure, applied 100+ programs and did not match psych? That's a sign you were meant for something else because many psych programs aren't too uptight about Step scores/failures if they feel your personality is a good fit.

The good news is you matched IM. While the first 12 months is intense, the learning curve becomes less steep and you're more than halfway home. 16-18 months in, pretty every IM PGY-2 I've met were total bosses and functioned as seniors while the PGY-3s are off interviewing for fellowships or signing hospitalist contracts, moonlighting for nice pay, and otherwise treated like jr attendings.

After finishing the hardest 12 months of IM, it would be a shame to not finish just to reapply to 100+ psych programs to, at best, given the competitive atmosphere, match at a terrible psych program, get terrible training, and be a terrible psychiatrist. And it isn't likely you'll be a better psych applicant after a year of IM.

Personally, I don't think some of the pros of psychiatry are as great as people think, and I would have been content to do any other specialty not called OB-GYN or neurology.

OP is a DO grad and didn’t report step 1 at all.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

Do not not match. SOAP into a spot in IM. Get a job - much easier to transfer then to try to reapply

and who knows, maybe in the end it turned out for the better

I'm in the same boat, but with FM; seriously considering transferring. Looking for advice on next steps; not against completing an FM residency and doing a second residency either.

 

[HbondsR_FON]

I'm in the same boat, but with FM; seriously considering transferring. Looking for advice on next steps; not against completing an FM residency and doing a second residency either.

same, also looking for advice on how to go about transferring from an fm pgy1 to psych