Essential Guide for MD Graduates: Researching Peds-Psychiatry Residencies

Understanding the Unique Landscape of Pediatrics-Psychiatry Residencies

Pediatrics-Psychiatry-Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (often called “triple board”) is a small, highly specialized training pathway that prepares you to be board-eligible in three disciplines: Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. For an MD graduate residency applicant, this niche field requires a more deliberate, structured approach to program research than a core specialty might.

Before diving into how to research residency programs, it helps to understand what makes these programs different:

• Triple board structure: Typically 5-year integrated training with a predetermined distribution of time across pediatrics, adult psychiatry, and child & adolescent psychiatry.
• Small number of programs: There are far fewer triple board programs than categorical pediatrics or psychiatry programs, so your program research strategy must be both broad and deep.
• Distinct career outcomes: Graduates work in roles spanning:
  • Academic medicine and research
  • Integrated pediatric-medical-psychiatric care
  • Consultation-liaison services
  • Systems-level/administrative roles in children’s mental health and medical systems
• Different “feel” across sites: Programs vary in how pediatric and psychiatric training are integrated, the culture of the primary children’s hospital and psychiatry department, and how supportive they are for non-traditional or MD graduate residency applicants (e.g., gap years, prior training).

The goal of your research is not only to identify where to apply, but where you are likely to thrive based on your interests, working style, and long-term plans.

In this guide, you’ll learn a step-by-step, practical approach for how to research residency programs in pediatrics-psychiatry, how to evaluate options meaningfully, and how to build a targeted application list as an MD graduate.

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Step 1: Clarify Your Goals and Must-Haves Before You Research

Before you open a single program website, you need clarity about who you are as an applicant and what you need from training. This is the foundation of any strong program research strategy.

A. Define Your Long-Term Career Vision

Even if you’re unsure of specifics, identify a working vision. Ask yourself:

• Do I see myself primarily as:
  • A clinician seeing complex pediatric-psychiatric cases?
  • An academic physician doing research and teaching?
  • A systems-level leader, medical director, or policy-focused physician?
• How important are:
  • Inpatient pediatrics versus outpatient primary care?
  • Inpatient psychiatry versus outpatient psychotherapy/consultation?
  • Medical-psychiatric integration (e.g., CL service, eating disorders, complex chronic illness)?
• Do I want a career primarily in:
  • A children’s hospital?
  • A psychiatry department?
  • An integrated children’s hospital–behavioral health service?
  • Community-based or public health systems?

Your answers will shape what you prioritize when evaluating residency programs.

B. Identify Your Academic and Clinical Interests

Common interests among triple board residents include:

• Neurodevelopmental disorders (autism, ADHD)
• Chronic medical illness with psychiatric comorbidity
• Eating disorders
• Trauma, child maltreatment, foster care
• Integrated primary care/behavioral health
• CL psychiatry in pediatrics
• Health equity and underserved populations
• Global mental health

Make a short list (3–5) of your top interest areas. As you research, you’ll look for programs that can realistically support those interests.

C. Clarify Personal and Lifestyle Priorities

Beyond clinical training, your well-being matters. Consider:

• Geography: Regions where you do and do not want to live for 5+ years.
• Family/support system: Proximity to partners, family, or childcare needs.
• City type: Urban vs. suburban vs. smaller city; cost of living; commute patterns.
• Schedule intensity: Preference for high-acuity tertiary care vs. more moderate workload.
• Diversity and inclusion: Importance of training in diverse communities, institutional commitment to equity, or support for underrepresented groups.

Write down 3 “non-negotiables” and 3–5 “strong preferences.” This will prevent you from being swayed by prestige or name recognition alone.

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Step 2: Build a Comprehensive Program List (Then Narrow It)

As an MD graduate residency applicant in a small specialty, you should first understand the full landscape of triple board options and then strategically narrow your list.

A. Start with Official Databases and Specialty Societies

Use multiple sources to build your initial list:

• FREIDA (AMA Residency & Fellowship Database):
  • Filter by specialty: search for “Pediatrics-Psychiatry-Child and Adolescent Psychiatry” or “Triple Board.”
  • Check basic data: number of positions, program length, contact info.
• ERAS / NRMP listings:
  • Confirm which programs are participating and how many spots they offer.
• Specialty organizations:
  • American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
  • American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
  • American Psychiatric Association (APA)
  • Some maintain lists, guidance documents, or links relevant to triple board.

Create a spreadsheet with each program as a row and columns for key features you’ll fill in later.

B. Include Related Categorical Programs in Your Research

Even if you are committed to triple board, it’s wise to understand:

• The allopathic medical school match landscape in:
  • Categorical Pediatrics
  • Categorical Psychiatry
  • Child & Adolescent Psychiatry fellowships
• Why it matters:
  • Provides a safety net and comparison if you also apply to categorical programs.
  • Shows how the institution approaches child mental health overall.
  • Helps you evaluate institutional depth in your interest areas.

Add columns in your spreadsheet for:

• Name of affiliated pediatrics program
• Name of affiliated psychiatry program
• Strengths/weaknesses of each

C. Initial Screening: Geography and Size

Apply your first-pass filters to avoid researching programs you’d never attend:

• Location: Remove places that are truly incompatible (e.g., too remote, climate you cannot tolerate, lack of partner job opportunities).
• Program size: Decide whether you prefer:
  • Very small programs (1–2 residents per year)
  • Moderate size (3–5 residents per year)

At the end of this phase, you should have a list of all realistic programs, typically all active triple board programs plus any categorical programs that serve as backups or comparators.

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Step 3: Deep-Dive into Program Websites and Public Information

Now you’ll move from “what exists?” to “how do I evaluate these residency programs meaningfully?” This is where your program research strategy becomes granular and targeted to pediatrics-psychiatry.

A. Dissect the Program Structure

For each program, look for:

• Year-by-year schedule:
  • How many months in pediatrics vs. adult psychiatry vs. child/adolescent psychiatry each year?
  • How are rotations sequenced? (e.g., heavy pediatrics up front vs. early psychiatry exposure)
• Integrated experiences:
  • Are there dedicated combined clinics (e.g., neurodevelopmental, eating disorders, pediatric CL psychiatry)?
  • Is there explicit collaboration between pediatrics and psychiatry departments?

Ask yourself:

• Does this structure fit my learning style?
  (Block rotations vs. longitudinal clinics; early exposure vs. delayed specialization)
• Will I feel like part of both departments, or will I be “bouncing” and never fully integrated?

B. Evaluate Clinical Sites and Patient Populations

The type of hospital and clinics heavily shapes your training:

• Children’s hospital specifics:
  • Free-standing children’s hospital vs. children’s wing in a larger hospital.
  • Tertiary/quaternary referral center vs. community/regional hospital.
  • Volume and complexity of medically ill children who also have psychiatric needs.
• Psychiatry infrastructure:
  • Availability of child inpatient units, partial hospitalization, or residential programs.
  • Strength of child consult-liaison psychiatry and emergency psychiatry.
• Population served:
  • Diversity in race, ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status.
  • Special populations: foster care, juvenile justice, refugee health, rural communities.

For an MD graduate residency applicant with specific interests (e.g., trauma, neurodevelopmental disorders), confirm the program can actually provide consistent exposure to those patients.

C. Research Faculty and Mentorship Opportunities

Go beyond names and titles:

• Cross-appointed faculty: Look for people with dual roles in pediatrics and psychiatry or who work in medical-psychiatric interfaces.
• Research interests: Scan faculty bios and PubMed:
  • Are there active projects in your interest area?
  • Is there mentorship available for MD graduates who want to build scholarly portfolios (QI, clinical research, education)?
• Leadership track record:
  • Have graduates gone into leadership positions?
  • Do faculty hold key roles in national bodies (AAP, AACAP, APA)?

Make notes in your spreadsheet: “Strong eating disorders faculty,” “Multiple autism researchers,” “Limited published work in my area,” etc.

D. Look for Clues About Culture and Resident Support

Culture is harder to quantify, but websites still offer hints:

• Resident wellness and support sections
• DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) statements and concrete initiatives
• Photos: Are residents visibly present and engaged, or is the page mostly stock photography?
• Evidence of resident accomplishments:
  • Conference presentations
  • Awards
  • Publications

Also note:

• Whether triple board residents are featured distinctly or “tacked onto” pediatrics or psychiatry pages.
• Signs the program values triple board trainees as integral, not afterthoughts.

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Step 4: Use External Data and Networks to Validate What You Find

Program websites are curated. To truly understand how to research residency programs thoroughly, you must triangulate information with external sources.

A. Use FREIDA, Doximity, and Other Databases Strategically

These platforms have limitations, but they can still help with evaluating residency programs:

• FREIDA:
  • Resident demographics
  • Call schedules
  • Benefits and salary
• Doximity Residency Navigator:
  • Alumni career paths
  • Reputation scores (interpret cautiously)
• Public reports / institutional rankings:
  • Children’s hospital rankings (e.g., U.S. News) can provide a rough sense of clinical breadth.
  • Don’t overvalue rankings; use them to ask specific questions (e.g., “How does your strong NICU service interface with triple board training?”).

B. Talk to People Who Know the System

Leverage your network:

• Faculty advisors at your medical school:
  • Child psychiatrists, pediatricians, or med-psych minded internists.
  • Ask who they know at triple board programs and what reputations they’ve heard.
• Recent graduates or upper-level residents:
  • Especially those in pediatrics, psychiatry, or peds psych residency tracks.
  • Ask about:
    • Breadth vs. depth of training
    • How triple board residents are treated
    • Hidden strengths or challenges

You can phrase outreach emails concisely:

“I’m an MD graduate applying to pediatrics-psychiatry (triple board) and trying to understand how to evaluate programs. You trained at [Institution] in [Peds/Psych]. Could I ask 2–3 brief questions about your impression of their integration of pediatrics and child psychiatry?”

C. Seek Out Resident Perspectives (with Caution)

Look for:

• Program-specific Q&A sessions or virtual open houses
• Social media accounts for the program or residents
• Virtual subinternship talks or interest group sessions hosted by programs

Ask residents direct but respectful questions:

• How integrated do you feel between pediatrics and psychiatry?
• Do triple board residents get adequate respect and autonomy in both departments?
• Are there any structural challenges (scheduling, competing demands) that are unique to triple board?
• How has the program supported career development for alumni?

Remember: individual experiences are subjective. Look for patterns across multiple conversations.

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Step 5: Compare Programs Using Structured Criteria

At this point, you’ll likely be overwhelmed with information. A structured comparison process helps you turn data into decisions.

A. Build a Scoring or Ranking Framework

Create columns in your spreadsheet and rate each program (e.g., 1–5) on:

1. Clinical training strength

   • Pediatrics: inpatient, NICU/PICU, outpatient continuity, complex chronic illness.
   • Psychiatry: adult and child exposure, psychotherapy supervision, CL, emergency.
   • Integration: presence and quality of medical-psychiatric rotations and clinics.

2. Alignment with your career goals

   • Available electives that match your interests.
   • Faculty and projects in your chosen niche (e.g., trauma, autism, eating disorders).
   • Track record of graduates going into your desired roles (academics, clinical leadership, etc.).

3. Educational environment

   • Didactics tailored for triple board residents.
   • Support for board exam preparation across all three disciplines.
   • Formal mentoring and advising structure.

4. Culture and support

   • Resident happiness and retention.
   • Triple board identity and respect.
   • Wellness resources, DEI initiatives, support for MD graduates with families.

5. Logistics and lifestyle

   • Call schedules and workload.
   • Cost of living and salary.
   • Location fit (weather, community, partner job market).

Add a “Qualitative Notes” column where you record red flags (e.g., “residents emphasized burnout”) or strong positives (“exceptional integration, enthusiastic leadership”).

B. Weight Factors Based on Personal Priorities

Not all criteria are equal. If you are deeply research-oriented, you may weight scholarly opportunities more heavily than location. If you have strong family constraints, geography may dominate your decision-making.

For each factor, assign:

• A relative importance score (e.g., 1–3).
• Multiply importance by rating to get a weighted score.

This helps you see which programs truly rise to the top for you rather than in a generic sense.

C. Narrow to a Realistic Application List

For a small-field peds psych residency (triple board):

• Many applicants apply to all or nearly all existing triple board programs, given the limited number of spots.
• However, your intensive research helps you:
  • Decide whether to pair triple board with categorical pediatrics or psychiatry applications.
  • Prioritize where to invest time in tailored personal statements and outreach.

Ask yourself:

• Are there any programs where, even if I matched, I’d be unhappy or unable to meet my goals?
• Are there programs where I have a particularly strong fit I should highlight in my application?

If the answer is “yes” to either, adjust your list accordingly.

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Step 6: Turn Research into a Strong, Targeted Application

Your program research strategy isn’t just for your own decision-making; it directly enhances your application’s quality.

A. Tailor Your Personal Statements

Use your research to:

• Demonstrate that you understand what triple board is and what makes that specific program unique.
• Explicitly connect your goals to program features:
  • “Your strong pediatric consultation-liaison service aligns with my interest in medically complex youth with psychiatric comorbidities.”
  • “I’m particularly drawn to your integrated outpatient clinics in ADHD and autism, which reflect my career goals in neurodevelopmental pediatrics-psychiatry.”

Programs can tell when applicants have done superficial research versus thoughtful exploration.

B. Prepare Informed Questions for Interviews

Use your notes to craft specific, high-yield questions:

For program leadership:

• “How has the balance of pediatrics vs. psychiatry time shifted over recent years, and how might it continue to evolve?”
• “What systems are in place to ensure triple board residents don’t fall through the cracks between departments?”

For current residents:

• “Can you walk me through a typical week when you’re on a mixed or integrated rotation?”
• “How does the program handle competing demands between pediatrics and psychiatry when scheduling conferences or required sessions?”

These questions show genuine interest and help you refine your preferences further.

C. Reassess and Reflect After Each Interview

As you meet more programs, your understanding of what you want may evolve. After each interview:

• Update your spreadsheet with:
  • New information
  • Subjective impressions
  • Red flags or deal-makers
• Re-rank your programs periodically based on:
  • Updated self-knowledge
  • Clarified priorities

This reflective process supports a rational, values-aligned rank list when match time arrives.

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Special Considerations for MD Graduates in Peds Psych Residency

As an allopathic MD graduate residency applicant, you may bring unique experiences—research time, gap years, prior training, or non-traditional paths. Consider these additional angles as you research programs:

A. How Programs View Non-Linear Paths

Look for signs that a program:

• Values mature applicants or those with prior experiences (e.g., leadership, advocacy, public health).
• Has had residents with:
  • Prior residencies
  • Significant research backgrounds
  • Career shifts

If relevant, ask:

• “How have you supported residents who came with substantial prior experience or non-traditional backgrounds?”

B. Research Intensity and Academic Tracks

If you’re academically inclined:

• Identify whether the institution has:
  • Physician-scientist tracks
  • Dedicated research time
  • Access to methodologic or biostatistical support
• Confirm that triple board residents can realistically access these, not just categorical trainees.

C. Long-Term Mentorship and Networking

Triple board is a small world. Look at:

• Alumni networks: Where are they now?
• Connections to national organizations: Do faculty encourage involvement in AAP, AACAP, APA committees, or special interest groups?

A strong network can amplify your career options long after residency.

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FAQs: Researching Pediatrics-Psychiatry (Triple Board) Programs

1. How many triple board programs should I apply to as an MD graduate?
Given the small number of triple board programs nationally, many applicants apply to all available programs that are geographically acceptable. Your detailed research helps you:

• Exclude locations that truly won’t work.
• Decide whether to supplement with categorical pediatrics or psychiatry applications. Aim for a balanced list that reflects your competitiveness, willingness to move, and backup plans.

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2. How can I tell if a program truly values its triple board residents?
Look for multiple indicators:

• Triple board residents featured prominently on the website.
• Program leadership who clearly articulate how triple board fits into the institution.
• Dedicated didactics or meetings for triple board trainees.
• Residents reporting strong integration and equal respect in both departments.
• Evidence that alumni have gone on to robust careers, not just “found a place somewhere.”

If current residents describe feeling isolated or like “floaters” between services, that’s a warning sign.

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3. What’s the best way to research residency programs if my medical school has limited advising in this niche field?
You can still create a strong program research strategy by:

• Using official databases (FREIDA, ERAS, NRMP) to find all triple board programs.
• Joining relevant national organizations as a student member (AAP, AACAP) and attending virtual events.
• Requesting email introductions to child psychiatrists or pediatricians with triple board familiarity, even outside your institution.
• Attending program open houses and asking informed questions.
• Reaching out professionally to current triple board residents for short informational conversations.

Proactive networking is especially important for small, specialized paths like peds psych residency.

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4. How do I weigh program reputation versus personal fit in triple board?
Reputation matters, but in a niche field like triple board, fit often matters more. Consider:

• Does the program reliably produce the kind of physician you want to become?
• Are the people you’ll work with invested in your success across all three specialties?
• Will you be clinically and emotionally supported through a demanding, integrated training path?

If a “big-name” program doesn’t align with your goals or support needs, it may be less ideal than a slightly less famous program that offers excellent integration, mentorship, and culture. Use your structured evaluation—rather than name recognition alone—to guide your decisions.

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By approaching your search systematically—defining your goals, comprehensively mapping the peds psych residency landscape, deeply evaluating residency programs, and then translating research into targeted applications—you’ll position yourself to choose a triple board program where you can grow, thrive, and build the career you envision.