The Phenomenon of the Third Year

This article describes the phenomenon of the outpatient year experiences of the PGY(Post Graduate Year)-3 year psychiatry residents using participant interviews, focus groups, and research observation at a university health science center. A qualitative research approach was used to identify and understand psychiatric residents’ experiences of their third year. The research question was, “What are the important and valuable experiences of psychiatry residents and what meaning do they ascribe to these experiences in their acquisition of psychiatric skills?” Four themes emerged from the study: Specialty Choice Was a Momentous Decision, Observation and Reflection Should Be Modeled Prior to Practice, The Value of the Third Year Was the Shift to Psychotherapy Training, and The Importance of Overcoming Hurdles to Acquire Their Psychiatric Skills This research study revealed that psychiatry residents saw the third year of their psychiatry education as foundational in building their career.