Engines of Progress: A Quantitative Characterization of Research Track Residencies in Psychiatry

To systematically quantify demographic, logistical, and programmatic aspects of all research-track psychiatry residencies in the United States (US).

We collected cross-sectional data by sampling all psychiatry research residency tracks in the US using the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) Program Directory database and the American Medical Association's Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access (FREIDA). We abstracted acceptance timing, number of positions, number of track directors, track length, protected research time by postgraduate year (PGY), guaranteed discretionary research funds, funding mechanisms, and trainee degree background.

We identified 50 psychiatry research residency tracks; 26 (52.0%) verified information by email. Of these tracks, 28 (82.4% of those with degree data) tracks had at least one current resident without a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. Among programs with available funding data, 25/44 (56.8%) guaranteed discretionary research funding for their residents. Median (interquartile range (IQR)) protected research time was 0.0% (IQR 0-8.3%) in PGY1, 17.1% (15.3-25.0%) in PGY2, 40.0% (28.1-50.0%) in PGY3, and 58.3% (50.0-75.0%) in PGY4. Guaranteed discretionary research funds varied from $0 to $100,000 over the course of residency.

Psychiatry research tracks vary widely in trainee backgrounds and in the protected time and funding they offer. Adding a research-track indicator and basic standardized fields (e.g., protected time by year, guaranteed funding) to residency selection databases (e.g., NRMP, FREIDA) could reduce search costs and improve alignment between applicants and programs.