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Triple Board Residency FAQs

This page contains answers to common questions about the Triple Board Residency Program. Prospective applicants should contact Jennifer Faires, Residency Coordinator, for additional information at jemmay@iu.edu or (317) 274-6450.

Residency Life FAQs

  • What opportunities are there for mentorship and bonding?
    • Triple Board Mentor Pairs
    • Monthly Triple Board Meetings
    • Annual Triple Board Retreat
    • Annual Pediatrics Retreat
    • Annual Psychiatry Retreat
    • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellows Retreat
    • Semi-Annual Reviews with program directors
    • House-Staff Forum (interdisciplinary)
  • Which EMR is used by your hospitals? 
    EPIC at Eskenazi Health, Cerner at IU Health facilities and CPRS currently at Roudebush VA Medical Center.
  • What continuity clinic options are available?
    A myriad of options from the Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health-associated outpatient pediatric clinics, which care for many medically complex children, the county health system which serves a culturally diverse population including a larger immigrant population, private pediatric practices, pediatric subspecialty clinics and international health care exposure.
  • Are there therapy training options?

    Yes!

    • Psychodynamic psychotherapy didactics weekly PGY-3
    • Modalities and patient exposure
      • CBT rotation for 3 months with adult patients in “functional neurologic sx” clinic
      • One-year of psychodynamic psychotherapy with at least one adult patient third year
      • Opportunities for play therapy at Neurodiagnostic Institute (NDI- equivalent to state hospitalization for children)
      • Elective/additional opportunities for MI, CBT in setting of substance abuse treatment in CAP clinics or PCIT or family therapy in disruptive behavior disorder clinic
      • Opportunities to pick up TF-CBT cases for CAP depending on areas of interest
  • What about transitions?
    Upper level residents and year above check-in intentionally before major transitions (PGY2- to adult psych side; PGY3 to outpatient adult psych side; PGY4 back to pediatrics; and PGY5 for transition to CAP & chief year). 
  • How much vacation and education time off is allotted? 

    PGY 1-2: 3 weeks plus 5 days at  Christmas or New Year's Day. Also 3 days for education/conferences

    PGY 3-5: 4 weeks of vacation plus 5 days for education/conference.

    Also includes 3 sick days/year, 2 wellness half-days while on pediatrics and 6 weeks maternity/paternity leave without required make-up time. Up to 6 weeks additional weeks may be taken without pay and requires make-up time.

  • Are competitive insurance benefits provided?

    IU School of Medicine offers one of the best benefits packages in the country, including those for residents, fellows, their spouses and families:

    • Competitive salary compared to other residencies nationwide
    • Health and dental insurance with NO monthly premiums for residents/fellows, their spouses and families
    • Free life, disability and medical malpractice insurance
    • Free bus shuttle transportation provided between hospitals
    • Free parking at all hospitals
    • Meal money provided for on-call nights
    • White coats and scrubs provided
    • Indiana University Tuition Benefit for residents/fellows, their spouses, and dependent children
    • Free software, including over 200 programs and training courses for applications such as Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft Office
    • Electronic access to textbooks (Zitelli, Nelson, Redbook, etc.)
    • $350 Psychiatry Education funds for PGY 1-3 years, $700 PGY 4-5 years
    • Financial support for conference presentation expenses up to $1500 twice per year per resident.

  • What is the pediatrics hospital experience like?
    • Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health is one of the nation's leading pediatric hospitals
    • Child Life, Art/ Music Therapies
    • Therapy dogs and pony (yes, it’s real and adorable)
    • Catchment area of entire state and some surrounding states
    • All major subspecialties
  • Are there opportunities for medical education?

    As the largest allopathic medical school in the country, ample opportunities are available for teaching medical students/supervising. Opportunities to give lectures to medical students formally as part of their psychiatry clerkship or informally with those rotating on service.

  • How are the didactics?
    • Protected noon conference hour on pediatrics 4 days/ week with free lunch included
    • Psych with half-day protected didactics weekly with lunch included
    • Pediatric, Psychiatry and Neurology Grand Rounds
  • Can residents become involved in Department research?
    • Multiple research opportunities are available, from basic science to QI to clinical projects in both pediatrics and psychiatry. Our faculty are eager for you to join their projects or support you in developing your own. Research if not mandatory, but is well supported if interested. You may also set aside research time at various points in training, coordinated on an individual basis.
    • Morris Green Scholars funded research program through pediatrics
    • Research Track through the Psychiatry Residency, which includes regular meetings, mentorship and Journal Clubs
    • IU also supports multiple pediatric-focused research endeavors through the Children’s Health Services Research, Children’s Clinical Research Center and Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research
    • Numerous research faculty with labs in Psychiatry and the Neuroscience Center
    • Multiple opportunities to attend and present at conferences, to author papers and book chapters, with extra funding support available
  • Receptiveness to change?

    Our program is receptive to resident feedback and advocates for their education and well-being. Two examples of recent changes following resident feedback are: 

    • Psychiatry Call Structure Changes (PGY3 call changed to short-call structure) 
    • Psychiatry Didactics: TB residents now have exposure to the same psychiatry training as categorical colleagues
  • Are meals provided at work?
    Free lunches are provided about 4-5 days/week on the pediatrics side. Gold-Card cash for on-call meals with hospital options. On Psychiatry, Gold-Card/Eskenazi-Card money for meals also available. 

Application FAQs

  • When do you start reviewing applications?
    The program begins reviewing applications via ERAS on September 15. Shortly after, invitations will be sent to the email that was provided on the application.
  • What is your application deadline?
    November 30.
  • How many letters of recommendation do you require?
    At least three letters of recommendation are required, and we prefer that at least one be from a psychiatry faculty member.
  • Do you accept COMLEX in lieu of USMLE?
    Yes.
  • Are there cut-off scores for COMLEX or USMLE?
    No, but it is required that all exams be passed on first attempt.
  • Do I have to have my Step 2 scores uploaded before being offered an interview?
    No. While Step 2 scores are not required for the interview process, it is required to have completion before your medical school graduation.
  • Do you accept international medical graduates in your program?
    Yes.
  • Do you sponsor visas?
    Only J1 visas are sponsored.
  • Do you require US clinical experience?
    No, but it is preferred.
  • Do you have open PGY2 -4 positions?
    Not at this time.
  • Do you offer externships or observerships?
    No, IU School of Medicine does not offer these experiences.
  • What is your graduation cut-off date?
    No more than five years post-graduation.