Psychiatry
"Psychiatry is the field of medicine dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness. The diseases psychiatrists treat include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, addiction, delirium and dementia, anxiety, and personality disorders. As physicians who treat the mentally ill, psychiatrists have some of the most rewarding long-term relationships with their patients. This is an interdisciplinary specialty, well-suited for doctors who wish to use the broadest of all skills - psychosocial, scientific, and clinical. Historically, psychotherapy has always formed the core of psychiatry. But with remarkable advances in neuroscience and drug therapy, this field of medicine has shifted to a more biological-based approach. Now, psychiatrists draw on the latest research in brain imaging, genetics, and psychopharmacology to treat many debilitating disorders."
— Freeman, B. (2013). The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Medical Specialty. 3rd Ed. Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill: New York. p. 419.
M1 and M2 Students
What advice would you offer first- and second-year students who are interested in pursuing your specialty?
Do well in your classes in general. Read about psychiatry. Volunteer at the CHC psych clinic. Get involved in psychiatry research over the summer, if you’re interested in research. Join the American Psychiatric Association , which is free for medical students, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry . Reach out through the psychiatry interest group to take advantage of clinic shadowing opportunities in the department.
How important is a research experience in your specialty? If important, does it need to be in the specialty itself?
Research in psychiatry helps but is not essential. Research experiences in other fields are also positive for your application and common since students decide to enter psychiatry late in their medical school careers.
M3 and M4 Students
What M4 electives would you recommend to a student who is interested in pursuing your specialty?
A student should do one to two additional months of psychiatry rotations during their M4 year. For psychiatry electives, they should do something different than what they did as an M3 (e.g., if they rotated on an inpatient service as M3, they should rotate on CL as an M4). Outside of psychiatry, any electives are fine. A medicine or pediatrics sub-internship is recommended.
Does your specialty recommend doing away rotations?
Ideally, they should be done in the summer or early fall in order to be useful in the application process. Summer rotations can yield letters and grades for your transcript while fall rotations increase your chances of securing an interview.
If your specialty recommends doing away rotations, how many "aways" do you recommend?
One is plenty.
If away rotations are necessary, when should they be completed?
Ideally, they should be done in the late summer/early fall, in order to be useful in the application process. On the east coast, many psychiatrists are away in August, so that is not a great time to do an away elective.
Which month do you recommend taking off to interview?
Does your specialty recommend that all letters of recommendation be written by members of your specialty?
If letters can come from other disciplines, do you have a recommendation as to which disciplines are more highly valued?
Medicine is highly valued but a letter from someone who knows you is what is important.
Does the academic rank of the letter writer matter?
No.
Does your specialty require a letter from the chairman?
No.
Psychiatry Specialty Session
Request a Psychiatry Adviser
Michael Marcangelo, MD
Psychiatry Career Advising Coordinator
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312-695-5060