Psych Star Scheme

This one-year scheme is open to UK medical students with an interest and commitment to psychiatry seeking mentoring and financial support for activities intended to increase awareness and knowledge of Psychiatry.Scheme participants will be supported financially, receive mentoring and in turn will be expected to act as ambassadors for Psychiatry.

Information evening – Thursday 13 March 2025

The College hosted a free information evening for medical students who are interested in applying for the Psych Star Scheme 2025/26 via Zoom.

The event provided an opportunity to hear from Dr Declan Hyland, Associate Dean for Choose Psychiatry and Lead Clinician for the scheme and also from two current Psych Star and a previous Psych Star who shared their experience of the scheme, provided tips for applying and explained how they are finding being on the scheme.

2025/26 applications are now open!

Eligibility

• Applicants must be registered as a student at a UK Medical School at the start of the scheme – 1 September 2025.
• You must be a current Student Associate of the College and demonstrate an interest in and commitment to Psychiatry.
• Students who are intercalating are eligible to apply.
• Current and previous Pathfinder and Foundation Fellowship holders are not eligible to apply.

Benefits of the scheme

• You'll receive a welcome and induction pack from the College.
• Mentoring – You will be assigned a mentor to give you advice and support, so you can network with other Psych Stars and mentors.
• International Congress – you will be given free registration to attend International Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. A contribution towards accommodation and travel will be given.
• You'll receive a certificate evidencing your time on the scheme.
• CPD and travel fund – This is a £500 fund to be spent on psychiatry-related activities of your choosing, such as conferences, courses and learning materials.
• CPD eLearning – You will be given free access to the Royal College of Psychiatrists' CPD eLearning modules. Over 200 modules and 160 podcasts to keep you up to date with new research and best practice in psychiatry.
• TrOn – Trainees Online is our online learning resource to support trainee psychiatrists prepare for MRCPsych exams.
• Journal Subscriptions – You will be given free print copies of the Royal College of Psychiatrists' journals: BJPsych Bulletin and British Journal of Psychiatry.

Please note:

• You can apply for the College Psych Star and Faculty Specific Psych Star positions.
• You can apply to more than one Faculty Psych Star position.
• When sending your application, please include your name, membership number, medical school and list the positions you are applying for in order of preference in the email only - Do not add this information to the application document.
• The application deadline is 8am on Monday 21 April.

See below for further information on how to apply.

College Psych Star application process

You should submit the following to careers@rcpsych.ac.uk in one Word document, 12 pt. font.

• A CV on one side of A4 - please remove all identifying information should be removed from this document (e.g. name, address, medical school, named institutions or individuals)
• A list of any previous awards, prizes or bursaries from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, other Royal Colleges, universities, charities or organisations and answers to the following questions:
• How do you propose to spend the Psych Star CPD/Travel fund of £525? (max 500 words)
• What do you hope to achieve in your career as a psychiatrist? Please outline how you will prepare for this both personally and professionally. (max 500 words)
• Describe a situation with a patient which made you reflect. (max 500 words)

You should consider the College's values and behaviours  when completing your application.

Faculty Psych Star application process

If you are applying for a Faculty Psych Star position, please submit everything listed above in points 1-5. In addition to this you will also need to answer the Faculty specific question:

Please note that this list will be updated as the Faculties confirm their questions so keep an eye on this section.

Academic: What is your interest in Academic Psychiatry and how would you want to explore this if you are chosen as the faculty psych star? (500 words)

Addictions: In no more than 500 words outline your interest in Addictions Psychiatry and how you have or intend to explore this sub-specialty.

Child and Adolescent: Please outline your interest in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and how you have, or intend to, explore this sub-specialty (500 words max).

Eating Disorders: What innovation would you want to bring to Eating Disorder treatment to bring down chronicity and mortality? (500 words max).

General Adult: Is there a specific area of General Adult Psychiatry you are interested in and what experience have you had in this area (500 words max).

Intellectual Disability: Outline your interest in the Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability and how you have or intend to explore this sub-specialty (500 words max).

Liaison: What particularly interests you at the interface between physical and mental health (500 words max).

Medical Psychotherapy: What do you understand by the biopsychosocial model of Psychiatry and how do you see it evolving (500 words max).

Neuropsychiatry: Explain your interest in the Neurosciences and how it links with a career in Psychiatry (500 words max).

Old Age: In no more than 500 words, please outline your interest in the Psychiatry of Old Age and how you have or intend to explore this sub-specialty (500 words).