Specialty Advisor
Specialty Advisor(s)
Tel: 212-241-8752
Dr. Carrie Ernst
carrie.ernst@mssm.edu
http://icahn.mssm.edu/profiles/carrie-l-ernst
Dr. Asher Simon
asher.simon@mssm.edu
http://icahn.mssm.edu/profiles/asher-simon
Dr. Eve Freidl
eve.freidl@mssm.edu
https://profiles.mountsinai.org/eve-k-freidl
Program Directors
Dr. Antonia New (Director, Adult Psychiatry Residency Training Program)
antonia.new@mssm.edu
https://www.mountsinai.org/profiles/antonia-s-new
Dr. Mercedes Perez Rodriguez (Psychiatry Clerkship Director; Assistant Training Director for Research for Psychiatry)
mercedes.perez@mssm.edu
https://www.mountsinai.org/profiles/maria-de-las-mercedes-perez-rodriguez
Advice from Specialty Advisor
What should students be doing in year 1 and 2?
Psychiatry programs are generally holistic in their review of applicants and highly value longitudinal and meaningful service, leadership, and scholarly experiences that demonstrate strong commitment to psychiatry and/or demonstrate unique individual attributes. The first 2 years of medical school are an excellent time to become involved in these types of experiences. Service activities could include service to the community (e.g., EHHOP mental health clinic, volunteering on inpatient psychiatry unit) or service to the medical school (e.g., peer support and wellness activities). Roles involving teaching and mentoring other students (e.g., course TA, peer tutor) or running student interest groups show professionalism and leadership skills. While most programs do not require research, scholarship, especially if related to psychiatry, can strengthen an application. The definition of scholarship is broad and can range from formal research projects to case reports, patient safety and quality improvement initiatives, and education/curricular design. Students could consider engaging in scholarship during the summer between Year 1 and 2, or for a full year (scholarly year). Students are also encouraged to continue to explore activities in the arts, athletics, writing, advocacy, health policy, anti-racism/bias, human rights and global health since psychiatry residency programs highly value applicants with a diversity of life experiences and passions, even if not directly related to psychiatry. Finally, students should be focusing on good academic performance in the courses as well as studying for Step 1 during the Spring of 2nd year. While psychiatry programs generally use holistic review, USMLE Step scores do carry weight, especially in the more competitive psychiatry programs. It is not yet known how programs will approach applicants once Step 1 becomes pass/fail. Students with an interest in psychiatry are welcome to reach out to Dr. Carrie Ernst or to Dr. Mercedes Perez-Rodriguez and, if the student is interested, we can arrange for shadowing experiences within psychiatry or help the students to find a scholarly project within psychiatry. Students should contact Dr. Ernst, Dr. Perez-Rodriguez or Dr. Freidl if interested in doing a psychiatry elective during an early 3rd year block.
What should students be doing in year 3 and 4?
Students should be focusing on good performance during all the clerkships but especially psychiatry and medicine. In addition to the psychiatry clerkship, students should strongly consider scheduling a psychiatry elective. This helps demonstrate interest in psychiatry as well as provides an opportunity to request a letter of recommendation and to explore an area of psychiatry that differs from the clerkship experience. There is also a 4-week Neuroscience Elective in Year 3, including tailor-made rotations in fields related to psychiatry and neurology. While there is not a formally designated psychiatry “sub-internship,” a 4-week elective on one of the busier acute psychiatry services (inpatient, consultation-liaison or emergency psychiatry services will allow students to develop more advanced clinical skills in psychiatry. Students can speak with Dr. Ernst, Dr. Perez or Dr. Freidl to discuss potential psychiatry electives during the 3rd or 4th year and can reach out to the clerkship coordinator, Cindy Chiu to inquire about elective availability.
If you are taking psychiatry electives and want programs to see your performance, it is optimal to schedule these with enough time in advance to have your grade submitted prior the release of the MSPE. Alternatively, you can request an updated transcript.
Letters of recommendation (LOR) are an important opportunity to communicate your personal attributes, strengths and abilities to programs. Most Psychiatry programs require three or four LORs and look for at least two letters from psychiatrists. You can customize which letters are uploaded to which program. As you complete your third and fourth year rotations, consider asking for LORs from attending physicians who have worked closely with you and who have witnessed your strongest clinical performance. Ideally, you should schedule a meeting with the attending and ask for a LOR soon after the completion of the rotation, while details of your performance is still memorable. Explain what you learned or enjoyed on the rotation and why you are asking this particular writer before asking if they would be willing to write a strong LOR for a residency in psychiatry.
Students considering psychiatry residency should schedule a meeting with Dr. Ernst during the late winter/early spring of the 3rd year to discuss the possibility of a career in psychiatry (if undecided) and/or to discuss the application process (letter writers, , 4th year schedule, personal statement, which programs to apply for, etc).
Is an away elective recommended?
Away rotations are not required or necessarily encouraged in psychiatry, although can be an opportunity to explore another training program as well demonstrate clinical skills and interest in a particular institution. An away elective is recommended if the student is very interested in a program that would be a "reach" but still a realistic possibility. A great performance on the away elective might help get the student an interview or even a match at that program.
Other general info
Psychiatry programs look for strong academic and clinical performance, but also highly value research, teaching, service, and leadership activities.
LoRs
Departmental letter necessary?
This depends on the particular program (some require it, some do not). Our department plans to write a letter for every student applying in psychiatry, unless the student informs us that he/she does not want the letter. Dr. Ernst schedule meetings with each student applying in psychiatry to discuss the content of the letter. Most students end up using the departmental letter, although students applying to joint residency programs (Triple Board, med-psych, etc) should inquire as to whether the letter is required, because it counts as 1 of the letters and, if not required, students may benefit more from including letters from faculty supervisors/mentors (who can more specifically address their performance in the clinical, service or research setting than a departmental letter would be able to do).
All from the specific specialty or from other specialties as well?
It is advised that 1 letter (and sometimes 2, depending on the particular circumstances) be from a non-psychiatry specialty.
Recommended websites
CiM Psychiatry Profile
https://www.psychiatry.org
https://www.psychiatry.org/join-apa/medical-students
http://www.psychsign.org/
https://www.aadprt.org/trainees/psychiatry-training
https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Medical_Students_and_Residents/Medical_Students/Home.aspx
Recommended journals
The American Journal of Psychiatry
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
The APA has many resources for medical students interested in psychiatry, including travel grants to 2 annual meetings (both of which are wonderful experiences for medical students) and a fellowship that provides specialized training for residents and medical students interested in serving minority communities.
Many of the psychiatry subspecialty organizations (such as the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) also have specific resources for medical students.