How to Apply

How to Apply

Applications to the Rural Psychiatry Residency program must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS®).

A total of 4 positions are available per year.

Submit Your Application

Application Timeline

The first applications to the program will be accepted starting in September 2026 and must be completed by January 1, 2027.

Completed applications will be reviewed in September and October with virtual interviews taking place from late October through January.

Application Requirements

Applicants should plan to submit three letters of recommendation, with at least one coming from a psychiatry faculty member and at least one from another field of medicine.
USMLE Step 1 exam results are required to be considered for an interview.
USMLE Step 2 exam results are preferred but may be pending.
COMLEX Level 1 exam results are required for osteopathic student applicants who wish to be considered for an interview.
COMLEX Level 2 exam results are preferred but may be pending.
It is preferred that applicants have a gap of no more than two years between medical school graduation and the first year of residency, but the program reviews applicants holistically.
Applicants with a gap of one year or more must have clinical experience in the United States during that time frame.

Disclaimers and Selection Criteria

ECFMG certification is not required at the time of application, but applicants must be certified before starting residency training.
The Rural Psychiatry Residency Program sponsors J-1 visas only.
There is no minimum score for selection criteria. The program reviews scores as part of a holistic review.
As part of the interview selection process, we will participate in signaling.

Interviews

Interviews are by invitation only. Invitations are sent via Thalamus to the applicant's personal email address starting in late September. Upon receiving an invitation, we ask that you schedule your interview using the Thalamus scheduling system within 2 business days. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our program coordinator.
Virtual interviews are conducted twice a week from late October through mid-January on selected Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Monday interviews are typically held between 11 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. EST and Thursday interviews are typically held between noon and 4:45 p.m. EST. Friday interviews are typically held between 11 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. EST. Interviews are not conducted on weekends, holidays, the Friday after Thanksgiving or the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Our Commitment to Inclusive Healthcare

We commit to building a culture of healthcare that is inclusive of the broad spectrum of backgrounds, identities, and experiences that people bring to the profession and to clinical encounters. We make every effort to provide healthcare that addresses the disparate access and outcomes that some members of our communities’ experience. We are dedicated to ensuring our communities, patients and colleagues across our care system feel accepted and valued, thus establishing a sense of belonging within our program and healthcare sites.