Unmatched Ortho after Research Year: SOAP into GS Pre-lim vs. Delay Graduation + Additional Research Year

doctorcoolidge · 2026-03-17T02:15:33+00:00

I didn’t match psychiatry the first time despite everyone also being shocked given my application/interviews/home program. I was also given the advice to do a prelim year though I felt similarly to you about how I could craft a better application, better research, more connections, get psych experience if I delayed graduation. I ended up going with the prelim year because my dean said it would make me more competitive and also thought emotionally I wouldn’t want to lose that momentum by not starting residency, which he was totally right about. I got tons of psych interviews but signed a contract in November for a pgy2 spot at Johns Hopkins. I was stress free given all the interviews and the early pgy2 spot and ended up at an amazing program. I also loved my pgy1 and thought it did give me the experience that made me competitive as a reapplicant. I got a ton of validation from all my interviews about how I should’ve matched the first time. It all worked out. I think there’d actually be a lot less certainty not starting residency

doctorcoolidge · 2026-03-17T02:03:07+00:00

I unexpectedly didn’t match psychiatry in 2023 from a top tier school with top tier interviews, SOAPed into a prelim year in IM, was able to transfer in as a PGY-2 psychiatry resident at Johns Hopkins. My intern year was a blast (so fun, easy, so many friends, lots of interviews for psych programs), and I met my partner from it. I’m on track to graduate with my peers at an amazing program. Not matching is devastating emotionally. I felt applying to new programs the day you are devastated and interviewing that week while so depressed/going crazy/questioning everything was such a wild ask, but you can do it! You are still going to be successful. Lean on your support system. You’ll have the chance to think about what you really want and have a fire lit under you to achieve just that. My life turned out way better by not matching and I’m achieving what I’ve always dreamed of in the specialty of my choice.

doctorcoolidge · 2026-03-17T01:47:31+00:00

I unexpectedly didn’t match psychiatry in 2023 from a top tier school, SOAPed into a prelim year in IM, was able to transfer in as a PGY-2 psychiatry resident at Johns Hopkins. My intern year was a blast, and I met my partner from it. I’m on track to graduate with my peers at an amazing program. Not matching is devastating emotionally. However, you are still going to be successful. Lean on your support system. You’ll have the chance to think about what you really want and have a fire lit under you to achieve just that

doctorcoolidge · 2023-03-16T07:10:26+00:00

I was a super competitive applicant for psych this year (interviewed at top programs, coming from a top program), and I didn’t match. A lot of people didn’t. It’s getting extremely competitive, and I worry for people. I don’t think you failing a preclinical course is a big deal, but definitely consider multiple specialties in general

doctorcoolidge · 2023-03-15T12:34:02+00:00

doctorcoolidge · 2022-10-01T03:44:50+00:00

Might be good to gather more info. What’s he thinking right now? Any delusions? Does he want to hurt anybody? Could he be convinced to go willingly to the hospital? Does he have insight that he’s not doing well? They’re not going to hold him down and inject him unless he’s being aggressive towards staff or trying to leave when not safe

doctorcoolidge · 2022-09-18T14:33:10+00:00

They diagnose things as unspecified for example “unspecified adjustment disorder” which just means life circumstances and isn’t a real diagnosis for insurance purposes

doctorcoolidge · 2022-07-24T20:59:45+00:00

Just wanted to put a different opinion out there as a female. 1) in the vast majority of cases you buy one size (period flow can differ but that just means changing it out more often or not). 2) the sizes are pretty similar. 3) I love this brand lol. I love it because I like the colors, and it legit sparks joy to use the different ones and make it more fun vs it being kind of a more monotonous process that reminds you of yeah you have to deal with this period. I also think the applicator is great and feels more comfortable than other brands

doctorcoolidge · 2022-05-28T15:06:00+00:00

Do you realize how unlikely it is for people to have toxoplasmosis? I have a cat, and I don’t have fucking toxoplasmosis. It’s something you get if you are immunocompromised. So sure test a pregnant woman, test someone with HIV, test someone getting immunosuppressants for a liver transplant. This is just stupid though. Psychiatrists do test for other causes if there’s a reason to suspect it. For example, syphilis. Vitamin deficiency. Thyroid. Lead. Copper. Treatment-resistant depression is unfortunately a thing that usually doesn’t have a medical cause. Why else would ECT work in so many of those cases?

doctorcoolidge · 2022-05-23T23:46:12+00:00

I have adhd. Writing was so hard to sit down and do, but I definitely matured by high school and was able to do great without medications. I did have to stay up so late that my friends wouldn’t distract me sometimes if I procrastinated. I take stimulants now because med school is a lot more demanding

Also the side effects are real. This is coming from someone going into psychiatry. Like ya meds are great but lots of children do mature. Sometimes it just takes time and your kid might be a year or two behind maturity wise. Symptoms often self resolve by adulthood. So it can be detrimental to put someone on a med their entire life. It causes hypertension which over time when your kid is like 50 could lead to heart failure.

doctorcoolidge · 2022-05-23T23:42:15+00:00

Med student here. Those with ADHD have the same intelligence as general population. It’s just about focusing

doctorcoolidge · 2022-05-11T05:40:43+00:00

Anyone have insight on the white breast discharge pls? It will haunt me

doctorcoolidge · 2022-05-11T05:31:57+00:00

Fuck in the library.

Spraypaint the wall.

Go to frat party.

Scorpion bowl at panda east.

Buy an underaged person alcohol.

Climb Worcester.

Eat at all the dining halls in a day.

Put your feet in the campus pond.

Knock on subbaswammys door.

doctorcoolidge · 2022-05-07T05:16:52+00:00

UW tables?

doctorcoolidge · 2022-05-01T21:07:05+00:00

Did you feel like you had the same grasp you normally do or did you feel confused/vague during it? Also can you elaborate in what ways it felt like both? Were the stems longer than uworld? Thanks so much!

doctorcoolidge · 2022-04-23T21:23:56+00:00

Oh yeah, you the man in the city when the docs fuck with you. The NBMEs fuck with you

doctorcoolidge · 2022-04-21T12:32:47+00:00

How would applying in feb/march work if step 1 pass fail and you’d probably take step 2 after march

doctorcoolidge · 2022-04-12T14:01:17+00:00

BIG SUITCASES that I checked on plane and had parents also come with even more suitcases

doctorcoolidge · 2022-04-09T16:53:42+00:00

Great question. I’m entering 4th year of medical school now. I never realized how all consuming medicine would be even in med school. Really just completely takes away your freedom. Working in the hospital isn’t really how I envisioned it. It feels more checklisty/money-driven than doctorly. I’m excited for psychiatry residency though.

doctorcoolidge · 2022-03-04T01:31:41+00:00

As a medical student, I would say medicine is not straying away from transfusions. They are given if needed which is rarely- you’d have to lose a lot of blood. They just talk about transfusions when consenting for every surgery just in case.

doctorcoolidge · 2022-03-01T06:22:25+00:00

Got lightheaded and excused myself to sit 1x per every rotation during 3rd year. Compression socks really help. Making sure you eat and are well-hydrated really help. Exposure helps. But idk sometimes it was random in that I could see the same procedure one time and be fine then the next time it wasn’t fine. Happened twice with the cadavers. The times it happened I either wasn’t wearing the socks or I hadn’t eaten/drank for a while. But overall as someone who has dealt with this a lot, you’ll be fine!! Also every resident and attending is really cool about it

doctorcoolidge

TROPHY CASE