Money earnings, job opportunities

[Doc1401]

Hello-
I am in a mid tier psych residency and when I go to conferences I keep meeting people from top tier programs. I keep wondering if my job prospects will be poor because I will not graduate from a top psychiatry name program like Harvard, Emory, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, etc. I noticed how some professors from other schools flock to trainees from these types of universities.
I keep hearing about how there is a shortage of psychiatrists and should not have a problem finding a job. What about a university affiliated job or if I want to do academics later?

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[On Walden Pond]

You can create your own successful future in academia from almost any accredited program. Wouldn't worry too much. Now if you're trying to land at Stanford or a top tier name program, that might be challenging.

 

[Gavanshir]

Well, what medical school did you graduate from? What college did you go to? Who gives a crap?

 

[TexasPhysician]

If anything, top programs are more likely to graduate those that earn less $. Higher percentages of top programs end up in academia which earns you a pay cut.

 

[Doc1401]

What about the assumption many people have that if you have a top program on your CV then you are more competent than the person without that on their CV?

 

[dl2dp2]

What about the assumption many people have that if you have a top program on your CV then you are more competent than the person without that on their CV?

What about it. That's the assumption. Sometimes it's true. Sometimes it's not. There's nothing you can do about it now except go for a more prestigious fellowship/job. You sound confused.

Figure out what you want to do with your life first, then see if prestige is a necessity/benefit. You are confusing cause with effect.

 

[heysexylady]

Since you already matched into a mid-tier program its kind of too late to be worried about prestige unless you plan on switching out.

The vast majority of places do not care about where you got your medical degree or about where you did you residency training. They only care if you are board eligible and willing to sign the contract. If you are unlikely to encounter a location that cares....keep walking they are not worth your time.

The only way that you won't be making much money if you chose to work in the major city like Chicago, DC, SF, and NYC and/or you chose not to negotiate a higher salary and benefits for your contract.

 

[carlosc1dbz]

From what I have seen, salary for people working in top academic centers is not that competitive. They usually have a lot of residents do most of the work which makes it attractive to some. Some of the attendings that I have met from top academic programs had a part time cash private practice where they would balance out their lower academic pay.

In regards to getting a job, it appears that there is such a shortage of psychiatrist everywhere that finding a job is not that difficult. You can also open a private practice and take cash or insurance. Getting on insurance panels gets your clinic filled a little quicker. I have worked in many different places and where you went to residency is not discussed as much as, did you go to residency? Places ask if you are board certified or not so that they can give you a little pay bump, not to determine if they will indeed hire you. This is my experience in finding a job in community positions, not academia.