GME > Residencies > Psychiatry > Application Requirements

Application Requirements

Thank you for your interest in the UVM Medical Center / University of Vermont Psychiatry Residency Program!

We accept all of our applications through ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service).

We also participate in the NRMP (National Resident Matching Program). Our program begins downloading applications from ERAS in September for each year's Match.

Materials

Materials required from all applicants before rank deadline are:

  • Application
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Personal Statement
  • MSPE/Dean's Letter
  • Transcripts
  • A minimum of three (3) recent letters of reference from direct clinical supervisors (at least 1 from psychiatry)
  • Successful completion of both Steps/Parts 1 and 2 of the USMLE or COMLEX

Below are additional requirements needed from International Medical Graduates (IMGs):

  • J-1 visa, Permanent Resident or U.S. citizen status. No other visa will be accepted, including the H1B visa. For those applying for a J-1 visa, you must be graduating prior to June 1 in order to be able to ensure starting on time.
  • A copy of your current, valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). If you do not have this certificate you will need to contact the ECFMG directly and arrange to take the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Steps 1 and 2 before applying to our program.
  • A minimum of three (3) recent letters of reference from direct clinical supervisors in the U.S., Canada or U.K. only. We prefer a previous residency in psychiatry in your home country and/or at least six months previous psychiatry clinical experience in the U.S., Canada or U.K. An observership does not fulfill this requirement.
  • You must have graduated within the last 2 years. Your application may be considered for up to 5 years from graduation depending on the number and quality of the applications we have received and if you have a significant amount of clinical experience in psychiatry.

USMLE/COMLEX

We do not have a minimum score requirement for the USMLE or COMLEX; however, applicants with higher scores and less attempts may have a better chance at receiving an interview with us.

Photographs

While photographs are not required to complete your ERAS application, having a photograph on file is very helpful to us, especially once you have been scheduled to participate in an interview day. During the initial screening process through ERAS, the program is intentionally blinded to submitted photographs to help minimize bias in providing interview invitations.

Deadlines

The basic components of your application (the common application form, personal statement, transcripts, and Dean's letter) must be received by December 1. You may be invited for an interview prior to our receiving all of your information, but we will need to have your complete file before January 1. Your application will not be considered unless you are able to fulfill all of the above criteria.

Interview Process

Once our selection committee has reviewed the applications, we will then contact selected applicants to arrange interviews. Interviews are scheduled on Tuesdays and Fridays during the months of November and December. Each interview day has limited space so it is important that selected candidates respond as early as possible to our invitation in order to schedule the date that works best for you.

The University of Vermont Medical Center Department of Psychiatry conducts a daylong interview (virtually through Thalamus). A typical interview day begins at approximately 8:00 a.m. and ends at approximately 4:15 p.m. ET.  The interview day consists of interviews with faculty, the Program Director (Jeremiah Dickerson, M.D.), our Chief Resident (Pam Derickson, M.D.), our Program Administrator (Michele Peliel), a group meeting with the Department’s Chair (Robert Althoff, M.D., Ph.D.), as well as a virtual tour of our facilities guided by a resident and a virtual presentation of the program by the Program Director. Our child track applicants will meet with the Child-track Program Director (Maya Strange, M.D.). There will be built in breaks throughout the day as well as a lunch break.  

The Monday before your scheduled interview day, there will be a virtual “meet and greet” with residents and fellows. Applicants are strongly encouraged to participate in the whole interview day process, including the meet and greet which may allow you to get a feel around ‘goodness of fit’ with our program and our current residents. Attendance is not taken at the evening meet and greet and your participation (or not) does not influence the final decision around match list ranking. However, should you have any special needs, please be sure to let us know ahead of time so we can try to accommodate those needs into the schedule as best we can.

At this time, our program is not offering formal in-person or virtual ‘second look’ opportunities.   

If you need further information about applying to the Psychiatry Residency Program, please contact our GME Program Administrator, Michele Peliel to discuss any questions you may have.

Michele Peliel
UVM Medical Center/University of Vermont
GME Program Administrator, Psychiatry
111 Colchester Avenue, Patrick 4
Burlington, VT 05401

Phone: 802-847-2259
Email: psychiatryresidencyatuvmhealth [dot] org (psychiatryresidency[at]uvmhealth[dot]org)