Picking the right programs to interview to

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StilgarMD

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I'm applying this cycle, and I'm interested in research tracks. I plan on also being open to categorical positions at select programs, but because I'm interested in research, all the programs feel like they're on the more competitive side. I've known people at my program who didn't match in the past, so I want to make sure not to stack the deck in a way where it may happen to me.

I was thinking of applying to 15 to 20 programs, but given the way the match works, I'm afraid of the situation where I'm not "ranked to match" at the more competitive places, but also end up not high enough on other programs because they think I won't go there.

Are there any general bits of guidance on how to maximize the chance of a good match when you're aiming at top tier programs? I'd rather not end up applying to 50 programs.

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I'm applying this cycle, and I'm interested in research tracks. I plan on also being open to categorical positions at select programs, but because I'm interested in research, all the programs feel like they're on the more competitive side. I've known people at my program who didn't match in the past, so I want to make sure not to stack the deck in a way where it may happen to me.

I was thinking of applying to 15 to 20 programs, but given the way the match works, I'm afraid of the situation where I'm not "ranked to match" at the more competitive places, but also end up not high enough on other programs because they think I won't go there.

Are there any general bits of guidance on how to maximize the chance of a good match when you're aiming at top tier programs? I'd rather not end up applying to 50 programs.
Psych is getting more competitive. May need to apply to more
 
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You could also look through NIH reporter and see which places have a lot of funding in your particular area of research. A lot of "mid-tier" places will have solid funding in a couple of specific areas (addictions, dementia, mood disorder, schizophrenia, child, etc.) but not all areas and apply to these places as well. To me the difference between "mid-tier" research departments and "high-tier" research departments is the breadth of funded research.

Also, many research tracks have a separate match number, so you rank both the psychiatry research track residency and the general psychiatry residency on NRMP, effectively ranking that place "twice".
 
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Psych is getting more competitive. May need to apply to more
How many would you recommend?

You could also look through NIH reporter and see which places have a lot of funding in your particular area of research. A lot of "mid-tier" places will have solid funding in a couple of specific areas (addictions, dementia, mood disorder, schizophrenia, child, etc.) but not all areas and apply to these places as well. To me the difference between "mid-tier" research departments and "high-tier" research departments is the breadth of funded research.

Also, many research tracks have a separate match number, so you rank both the psychiatry research track residency and the general psychiatry residency on NRMP, effectively ranking that place "twice".
That's a great way to look at it, and makes a lot of sense (I definitely know some 'mid-tier' places with better research in my interests). I will be applying to some places Categorical and Research track, but sadly its still pretty common for those to be merged under the same number - only a handful of places seem to separate them.
 
I agree you need more programs. It's hard to say exactly how many without knowing how competitive you are for the research track positions. You may want to write a second personal statement for programs without substantial research programs, and it is probably only worth it to include programs of that type in areas you are signaling geographically or otherwise can make a strong case for.
 
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Historically over the past decade or so the data shows that 10 ii’s is the cut off for diminishing returns for matching. Maybe you won’t need that many, but I’ve know a few candidates who were very solid go unmatched with more than that. Applying to 15-20 programs you’re assuming you’ll get an ii at half to 2/3 of where you’re applying.

Anecdotally, I talked to M4s on their sub-I rotations and general consensus for both visiting and in house students was that PDs were saying to apply to at least 25-30 programs. Others more directly involved can correct me if I’m wrong, but the days of applying to 10-15 programs and feeling safe to match psych are long gone.
 
I mean there's literally no downside to applying to lots of programs except for the application fee. Why not apply to 30 or 40? I think a few hundred dollars or even a couple grand are worth it as insurance to make sure you get to 10+ interviews.
 
I agree you need more programs. It's hard to say exactly how many without knowing how competitive you are for the research track positions. You may want to write a second personal statement for programs without substantial research programs, and it is probably only worth it to include programs of that type in areas you are signaling geographically or otherwise can make a strong case for.
I'm an MD/PhD from a good program, so on the more competitive side, but not a rock star by any means. It would be interesting to write a non-research track PS. Thank you for the tip.

Historically over the past decade or so the data shows that 10 ii’s is the cut off for diminishing returns for matching. Maybe you won’t need that many, but I’ve know a few candidates who were very solid go unmatched with more than that. Applying to 15-20 programs you’re assuming you’ll get an ii at half to 2/3 of where you’re applying.

Anecdotally, I talked to M4s on their sub-I rotations and general consensus for both visiting and in house students was that PDs were saying to apply to at least 25-30 programs. Others more directly involved can correct me if I’m wrong, but the days of applying to 10-15 programs and feeling safe to match psych are long gone.

I've heard the same thing, what worries me is that is the average, and the number is higher (by how much, idk) when the list is highly biased toward large academic programs that are competitive. 25 - 30 programs doesn't sound too bad, just concerned about ending up drained by the time I get to my later interviews.
 
Do you have some proven research productivity or a well formed idea of specifically what sort of research (and with whom) you're wanting to do while in residency? That seemed to go pretty far when I was on the res selection comm.
 
Do you have some proven research productivity or a well formed idea of specifically what sort of research (and with whom) you're wanting to do while in residency? That seemed to go pretty far when I was on the res selection comm.
responded via DM. Somewhat and yes. I have heard having vision is key, and I intended to pitch potential projects with known PIs at each program.
 
I've heard the same thing, what worries me is that is the average, and the number is higher (by how much, idk) when the list is highly biased toward large academic programs that are competitive. 25 - 30 programs doesn't sound too bad, just concerned about ending up drained by the time I get to my later interviews.
I don't have the knowledge or experience to comment on the research track side of things, but for general psych keep in mind that you don't have to interview at every program you get an invite. I went on 8 interviews and was starting to get tired of it toward the end, so your concerns are valid. Even with 8 interviews though, I felt pretty comfortable with my less than stellar app that I'd match somewhere back in 2017/18, but I also felt (and was told) that my interviewing skills were strong so know if that will be a strength or weakness for you. Imo it would be much worse to apply conservatively from the start and end up with only 2-3 ii's than to overapply early and have plenty of invites to choose from and turn down if you want.
 
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I've heard the same thing, what worries me is that is the average, and the number is higher (by how much, idk) when the list is highly biased toward large academic programs that are competitive. 25 - 30 programs doesn't sound too bad, just concerned about ending up drained by the time I get to my later interviews.
I did about 15 interviews and even that felt like a bit too much. Take about 10 interviews and decline the ones where you know you're not going to want to go for sure. Have a couple softball interviews to get yourself started, and put your most desired programs towards the middle.
 
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I mean there's literally no downside to applying to lots of programs except for the application fee. Why not apply to 30 or 40? I think a few hundred dollars or even a couple grand are worth it as insurance to make sure you get to 10+ interviews.

I would argue this reasoning while rational is part of the reason why we’re in the mess we are in with the arms races and everyone constantly spending more each application cycle and not necessarily getting more value from it. Signaling should hopefully help, but will see.
 
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honestly in my day my thought process was "id rather overapply then underapply" and I applied to a ton of different programs. Expensive but having too many interview invites is a good problem to have. Once you have interviews then you can better sort them out.
 
I would argue this reasoning while rational is part of the reason why we’re in the mess we are in with the arms races and everyone constantly spending more each application cycle and not necessarily getting more value from it. Signaling should hopefully help, but will see.
It is, but it's also a prisoner's dilemma where if everyone else is doing it and you don't do it, you are the one who suffers for it.

Love the way the UK does applying to med schools where they limit you to 4 total (admittedly a much smaller country), doesn't matter if you have daddy warbucks at home funding your application.
 
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Unfortunately, some of this comes down to luck: who you're paired with for interviewing, who reviews your personal statement and letters of recommendations and if they know that letter writer, if you know any of the residents or attendings as alumni from your program or met them at conferences.

A couple of things you can do:
1. If you identify a research mentor at the residency program you want to go to, you can have your current mentor reach out to them. Bonus points if that PI is part of the resident selection committee.
2. Express interest in them. Send them an email saying they are your top pick and make it personal.
3. Do an away rotation. It's like too late for you but if you have boots on the ground and get to know the residents and attendings as well as prove yourself clinically, they will be more likely to accept you. This can go both ways as when I was part of the resident selection committee, we ranked people higher if they were good on their rotation and much lower if they were lackluster in their performance than if they didn't do the away rotation. You have to have a personality where you are extremely adaptable, charismatic with a group of residents/attendings who have different personalities, and have a high degree of clinical acumen to use this method.

For me, I was okay with going to any of my top 10 choices on my rank list as I don't think I would have been unhappy with any of them. I didn't rank any program I wasn't going to be happy at. It's much more competitive now than when I applied so you'll have to have more than the 15 programs I had on my list.

It's really hard to know what your chances are without knowing your application though. Are you a DO who goes to a lower tier medical school with one 3rd author publication or are you an MD at a top 10 medical school with lots of first-author research publications with a big name in psychiatry on the paper?
 
Unfortunately, some of this comes down to luck: who you're paired with for interviewing, who reviews your personal statement and letters of recommendations and if they know that letter writer, if you know any of the residents or attendings as alumni from your program or met them at conferences.

Yea luck is a feature no matter what is going on, and I know there is no way around that. I think I've done an ok job of networking so programs I'm particularly interested in have investigators that know me.

A couple of things you can do:
1. If you identify a research mentor at the residency program you want to go to, you can have your current mentor reach out to them. Bonus points if that PI is part of the resident selection committee.
2. Express interest in them. Send them an email saying they are your top pick and make it personal.
3. Do an away rotation. It's like too late for you but if you have boots on the ground and get to know the residents and attendings as well as prove yourself clinically, they will be more likely to accept you. This can go both ways as when I was part of the resident selection committee, we ranked people higher if they were good on their rotation and much lower if they were lackluster in their performance than if they didn't do the away rotation. You have to have a personality where you are extremely adaptable, charismatic with a group of residents/attendings who have different personalities, and have a high degree of clinical acumen to use this method.
I have been trying to establish personal connections with investigators I could see myself working with (not only for the sake of having the connection but knowing if this is the kind of person who I would click with scientifically).

for the letter, I was considering sending one such letter soon, but I am afraid that once interviews happen my interest would shift. Perhaps no harm in sending this letter now if it is honest. I didn't think an away would be worth the risk. I believe I'm very personable but the luck of the dice with attendings and residents who are working when you're there felt not worth risking.

For me, I was okay with going to any of my top 10 choices on my rank list as I don't think I would have been unhappy with any of them. I didn't rank any program I wasn't going to be happy at. It's much more competitive now than when I applied so you'll have to have more than the 15 programs I had on my list.

It's really hard to know what your chances are without knowing your application though. Are you a DO who goes to a lower tier medical school with one 3rd author publication or are you an MD at a top 10 medical school with lots of first-author research publications with a big name in psychiatry on the paper?

I'm closer to the latter, Maybe a 7 if this represents a 1 to 10 spectrum. MD/PhD.
 
Then your chances are probably pretty good. You're probably already doing this, but also consider residency programs that don't have a research track or have limited slots for them, but have significant time off to do research such as with an elective or the option to enter the research track after you match into their categorical program.
 
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If your research is the stronger part of your application then I would lean into that.
NIH funding to the department can help you identify institutions that are prioritizing psychiatry research, and thus will prioritize you as a candidate.
(top 20 pasted below)

Also, can you contact some of the people you know who didn't match and see if they have any idea why that happened? It may be that they just weren't strong candidates or applied far too selectively, in which case I wouldn't let it worry you too much.

Honestly, although psych in general is more competitive now than it was in the past, candidates with strong research backgrounds are still not so common that research track residencies can pick and choose. For research track, the applicant is still in the driver's seat I would say.


From the BLUE RIDGE INSTITUTE for MEDICAL RESEARCH as compiled by Robert Roskoski Jr. and Tristram G. ParslowBRIMR.ORG
RankNamePsychiatry
1UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
$118,502,507​
2YALE UNIVERSITY
$96,518,706​
3UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
$61,188,201​
4NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$56,294,697​
5STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$50,435,602​
6WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ST LOUIS
$45,672,998​
7MOUNT SINAI ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$43,006,848​
8DUKE UNIVERSITY
$36,838,142​
9UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$33,703,798​
10UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO
$33,599,123​
11MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
$31,750,435​
12UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR
$30,530,651​
13JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
$27,819,570​
14UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SEATTLE
$25,135,919​
15UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS
$24,462,200​
16EMORY UNIVERSITY
$20,324,455​
17UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
$18,501,955​
18UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
$18,413,001​
19COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
$18,106,744​
20UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO
$16,838,438​
 
If your research is the stronger part of your application then I would lean into that.
NIH funding to the department can help you identify institutions that are prioritizing psychiatry research, and thus will prioritize you as a candidate.
(top 20 pasted below)

Also, can you contact some of the people you know who didn't match and see if they have any idea why that happened? It may be that they just weren't strong candidates or applied far too selectively, in which case I wouldn't let it worry you too much.

Honestly, although psych in general is more competitive now than it was in the past, candidates with strong research backgrounds are still not so common that research track residencies can pick and choose. For research track, the applicant is still in the driver's seat I would say.


From the BLUE RIDGE INSTITUTE for MEDICAL RESEARCH as compiled by Robert Roskoski Jr. and Tristram G. ParslowBRIMR.ORG
RankNamePsychiatry
1UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
$118,502,507​
2YALE UNIVERSITY
$96,518,706​
3UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
$61,188,201​
4NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$56,294,697​
5STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$50,435,602​
6WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ST LOUIS
$45,672,998​
7MOUNT SINAI ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$43,006,848​
8DUKE UNIVERSITY
$36,838,142​
9UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$33,703,798​
10UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO
$33,599,123​
11MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
$31,750,435​
12UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR
$30,530,651​
13JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
$27,819,570​
14UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SEATTLE
$25,135,919​
15UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS
$24,462,200​
16EMORY UNIVERSITY
$20,324,455​
17UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
$18,501,955​
18UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
$18,413,001​
19COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
$18,106,744​
20UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO
$16,838,438​
Really puts into perspective how juggernaut UPMC is at almost 2x higher than 3rd in the rankings.
 
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If your research is the stronger part of your application then I would lean into that.
NIH funding to the department can help you identify institutions that are prioritizing psychiatry research, and thus will prioritize you as a candidate.
(top 20 pasted below)

Also, can you contact some of the people you know who didn't match and see if they have any idea why that happened? It may be that they just weren't strong candidates or applied far too selectively, in which case I wouldn't let it worry you too much.

Honestly, although psych in general is more competitive now than it was in the past, candidates with strong research backgrounds are still not so common that research track residencies can pick and choose. For research track, the applicant is still in the driver's seat I would say.


From the BLUE RIDGE INSTITUTE for MEDICAL RESEARCH as compiled by Robert Roskoski Jr. and Tristram G. ParslowBRIMR.ORG
RankNamePsychiatry
1UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
$118,502,507​
2YALE UNIVERSITY
$96,518,706​
3UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
$61,188,201​
4NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$56,294,697​
5STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$50,435,602​
6WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ST LOUIS
$45,672,998​
7MOUNT SINAI ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$43,006,848​
8DUKE UNIVERSITY
$36,838,142​
9UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$33,703,798​
10UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO
$33,599,123​
11MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
$31,750,435​
12UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR
$30,530,651​
13JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
$27,819,570​
14UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SEATTLE
$25,135,919​
15UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS
$24,462,200​
16EMORY UNIVERSITY
$20,324,455​
17UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
$18,501,955​
18UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
$18,413,001​
19COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
$18,106,744​
20UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO
$16,838,438​
That is pretty shocking. I have thought on this before, though I need to dig through NIH Reporter to figure out if these dollars are actually going to the fields/domains I'm interested in.
 
Would love to join this thread as I am also interested in applying to psych research tracks and have similar questions and concerns as @StilgarMD

Here’s my info and some qs:

Undergrad: Ivy
School: T10
Preclinicals: P/F (all P)
Clinicals: P/F (all P)
Step 1: pass
Step 2: 249

Research: ~25 pubs, basically all psych clinical/public health, >half first-author, IFs mostly 5-8. Tons of posters plus some national conference talks and grand rounds at several depts at my home hospital. I have been doing research in the same area since undergrad so strong vision and have multiple awards plus ideas for future mentors and projects.

I’m concurrently earning masters degree in research, from NE and most interested in research tracks in NE. Will my step score or lack of PhD make this difficult? Would love a list of research track programs outside of the best known ones. Open to other parts of country for research tracks but no farther west than Chicago. Also, would aways help in this scenario and/or medicine sub-I? How many programs should I aim for and what split of research vs non-research?
 
Will my step score or lack of PhD make this difficult?
Nope.

You are a good candidate for research track positions. I would also look for programs w/ clear research mission (see NIH funding list) without research tracks that allow ample elective time for research within the normal residency spots.

As for specific programs - I would ask your home program's psych department, as they usually have a good idea of where you should look to apply considering your application as a whole. Additionally, they should have knowledge about where people like you have gone in the past.
 
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Nope.

You are a good candidate for research track positions. I would also look for programs w/ clear research mission (see NIH funding list) without research tracks that allow ample elective time for research within the normal residency spots.

As for specific programs - I would ask your home program's psych department, as they usually have a good idea of where you should look to apply considering your application as a whole. Additionally, they should have knowledge about where people like you have gone in the past.

I agree with the above, step score and not having a PhD won't be an issue.

However, if you already have a very defined research area and are committed to it, it is important to evaluate programs with an eye to specific people who would be able to mentor you. If you are committed to a particular area, it can be better to be at a slightly smaller or less 'prestigious' department if the people and infrastructure to mentor you and allow you to be productive are there. Even the largest research psych departments have certain topic areas where there isn't much going on.

If you are open to changing focus within a larger domain or general topic area, things get more flexible. It also is more flexible the less physical infrastructure you need for your work.

Your current mentors and senior authors on your current work should be providing this type of guidance.
 
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Would love to join this thread as I am also interested in applying to psych research tracks and have similar questions and concerns as @StilgarMD

Here’s my info and some qs:

Undergrad: Ivy
School: T10
Preclinicals: P/F (all P)
Clinicals: P/F (all P)
Step 1: pass
Step 2: 249

Research: ~25 pubs, basically all psych clinical/public health, >half first-author, IFs mostly 5-8. Tons of posters plus some national conference talks and grand rounds at several depts at my home hospital. I have been doing research in the same area since undergrad so strong vision and have multiple awards plus ideas for future mentors and projects.

I’m concurrently earning masters degree in research, from NE and most interested in research tracks in NE. Will my step score or lack of PhD make this difficult? Would love a list of research track programs outside of the best known ones. Open to other parts of country for research tracks but no farther west than Chicago. Also, would aways help in this scenario and/or medicine sub-I? How many programs should I aim for and what split of research vs non-research?
This is amazing that you can post this and have real feedback on a forum.

It's like being on a personal finance forum and being like
Income: 1mill/year
Net worth: 7 million, maxed roth IRA since age 15, filling full mega back door roth IRA and defined benefit plan
Age: 38
Debt: None
Will I be able to retire at age 50 guys?!?
 
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If your research is the stronger part of your application then I would lean into that.
NIH funding to the department can help you identify institutions that are prioritizing psychiatry research, and thus will prioritize you as a candidate.
(top 20 pasted below)

Also, can you contact some of the people you know who didn't match and see if they have any idea why that happened? It may be that they just weren't strong candidates or applied far too selectively, in which case I wouldn't let it worry you too much.

Honestly, although psych in general is more competitive now than it was in the past, candidates with strong research backgrounds are still not so common that research track residencies can pick and choose. For research track, the applicant is still in the driver's seat I would say.

I wonder about their methodology. Harvard has way more research funding than what they list, both in the psych dept and as a research institution in general. Maybe they exclude some of the funds that go through hospitals rather than the school itself somehow?
 
I wonder about their methodology. Harvard has way more research funding than what they list, both in the psych dept and as a research institution in general. Maybe they exclude some of the funds that go through hospitals rather than the school itself somehow?

This is NIH funding only, so it excludes funding obtained from other sources.

Pitt is indeed a neuro/psych juggernaut, but nobody's handing them $2.5 mil to admit Jared Kushner to their undergrad.
Guess they should have thought twice before slapping their med school down in the middle of coal country, instead of selecting a more genteel location to the side of the Charles River, where they could enjoy counting their greenbacks to a view of the local regattas gliding by.
 
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I wonder about their methodology. Harvard has way more research funding than what they list, both in the psych dept and as a research institution in general. Maybe they exclude some of the funds that go through hospitals rather than the school itself somehow?

Yes, a lot of "Harvard's" NIH finding is in grants to the teaching hospitals and not to the university and therefore not as straightforward to track on lists like this. If you aggregate psych research funding to Harvard teaching affiliates they would be higher. Harvard University doesn't own their teaching hospitals, Partners etc do.
 
This is NIH funding only, so it excludes funding obtained from other sources.

Pitt is indeed a neuro/psych juggernaut, but nobody's handing them $2.5 mil to admit Jared Kushner to their undergrad.
Guess they should have thought twice before slapping their med school down in the middle of coal country, instead of selecting a more genteel location to the side of the Charles River, where they could enjoy counting their greenbacks to a view of the local regattas gliding by.
Right but I find it hard to believe HMS--a research powerhouse in all fields--only gets $300k in NIH funding for psych research and is 83rd out of 89th on the rankings... That's barely enough to pay for salary support for a PI and a couple of postdocs.

edit: Yeah, it's probably both not counting affiliate hospitals and somehow not counting HMS itself? NIH Awards by Location and Organization - NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT) If you add HMS + BWH + MGH + McLean + BIDMC you get >$100M NIMH funding in 2022.
 
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Would love to join this thread as I am also interested in applying to psych research tracks and have similar questions and concerns as @StilgarMD

Here’s my info and some qs:

Undergrad: Ivy
School: T10
Preclinicals: P/F (all P)
Clinicals: P/F (all P)
Step 1: pass
Step 2: 249

Research: ~25 pubs, basically all psych clinical/public health, >half first-author, IFs mostly 5-8. Tons of posters plus some national conference talks and grand rounds at several depts at my home hospital. I have been doing research in the same area since undergrad so strong vision and have multiple awards plus ideas for future mentors and projects.

I’m concurrently earning masters degree in research, from NE and most interested in research tracks in NE. Will my step score or lack of PhD make this difficult? Would love a list of research track programs outside of the best known ones. Open to other parts of country for research tracks but no farther west than Chicago. Also, would aways help in this scenario and/or medicine sub-I? How many programs should I aim for and what split of research vs non-research?
Will echo what others have said in that you'll be good. What I tell MD/PhD's applying for research tracks is that it's not so much the PhD that helps with the application process but the publications, skills, the strong vision for your career, etc.
 
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