How many PGY1 positions do you offer in the match?

We will be offering (12) PGY1 positions in this year’s match.  This is an increase from the 9 positions we have historically offered.  The increase in complement of the residency from a total of 36 positions to 48 positions was approved this spring by the ACGME.  This expansion is made possible by the extension of the program into Peace Hospital and also reflects the growing demand for psychiatrists.

How many applications do you receive each year on average?

Historically we have received around 1000 applications for the (9) PGY1 positions offered in the match. With the expansion to 12 positions, we anticipate a larger pool of applicants but that is yet to be seen.

How many interview spots do you offer?

The usual ratio of offering 10 interview spots for each PGY1 position has been used in the past.  We have historically offered 96 interviews spread over 12 days (8 interviews per day).  Our interview days are relatively labor intensive and require a great deal of preparation and organization on the part of the training office. In the match, we typically fill our 9 positions well within the top third of our rank order list.  We have made the decision to stick with our usual 96 spots and anticipate going slightly deeper into the rank order list.

Do you offer "second looks"?

Not officially.  Second looks are somewhat controversial within the field. Some feel such opportunities offer an unfair advantage to applicants who are willing and financially able to invest in travel. However, we are sympathetic to the concern about possibly relocating for training to a community where one has never previously visited.  We are a public institution, and the public is free to visit our campus and most of our facilities without any approval needed on our part. Such visits can sometimes be informally coordinated through our resident association (peer to peer) but are not part of our formal interview and selection process. 

What does your interview schedule look like?

We do 12 days of interviews spread across three months – October, November, and December.  We are usually done with all interviews well before the holidays. 

What does your interview day look like?

Most interview days begin with a group meeting with our department's chair followed by individual interviews with the program director and associate program director.  Applicants also generally meet individually with a faculty member and a resident. A video tour of our facilities is provided as is an opportunity to socialize with residents in the program. In between interviews and virtual tours there is ample opportunity to chat with our amazing program coordinator and chief residents.

What are you looking for in an applicant?

We look for really smart people with good character. What kind of psychiatrist do you want for your family member?

How would you describe the various groups of residents currently in the program?

Most of our residents fall into one of three groups:

• We are an academic based program and recognize the need to contribute to the training of the next generation of academic psychiatrists. Applicants with an interest in academic medicine who have shown evidence of possessing the intellectual prowess to succeed in this area are warmly welcomed and well represented within our current group. 
• We are a state sponsored university and believe it to be part of our mission to provide our fellow citizens of the commonwealth of Kentucky a return on their investments in the form of training our share of the psychiatric workforce for the state. Hailing from Kentucky is not a requirement for this group though an aspiration of providing psychiatric care to its citizens is.
• The last general group includes those who did not fit into either of the first two groups and consists primarily of residents with “super-powers” of some sort. There is great variety within this group as some have been elite athletes where others have been accomplished musicians, authors, artists, etc.. Excellence in some non-medical area of life is the common theme in this group and excellence is often contagious. Perhaps this includes you?

Are you affiliated with any fellowships?

The department offers a fellowship in addiction psychiatry directed by Dr. Chris Stewart. Those who might have an interest in one day pursuing this PGY5 fellowship are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Stewart.

The university offers a residency/fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) housed within the department of pediatrics. Dr. Jennifer Le is the division director for that program. Those who might have an interest in one day pursuing this PGY4-5 fellowship are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Le.

What do residents go on to do after completing residency?

In a word – “everything.” There are few areas of psychiatry that have not been explored at some point by graduates of this program in our 75 years of ACGME accreditation. This is somewhat by design. The residency is intended to be an eclectic, broad-based exposure to the field of psychiatry as a whole. Those seeking a highly focused experience dealing with some small niche areas of the field are perhaps best encouraged to seek out programs focused on providing that specific experience. That is not our approach. It is not unusual for psychiatrists to move about within different areas of the field during the course of a lengthy career. Much as a classical liberal arts undergraduate education once provided one with the experiences necessary to succeed in a variety of areas without unduly focusing on any single one, our residency aspires to similarly prepare trainees for careers in psychiatry in whatever area they may ultimately choose. The field is evolving. Areas for future practice may not even exist at this point in time but we would hope to be among those programs training residents to be early adopters of innovation.

What word best describes the program's approach to resident training?

Balance. Whether in the balance of biological, psychological, and social influences or the balance between work life and personal life, the program takes this into account. In a Zen like manner, one's strengths are also their weaknesses. We are broad based and expansive though this potentially comes at the expense of depth and focus. We are aware of this, but no program can be the best at everything. We seek to be very good at everything we do and better than that at a few things when possible.