Hi all,

I have a choice to do my 3rd-year surgery rotation at my home school (with a top 5 surgery dept) or away at a community hospital. I've heard you learn more away (less scut :) , more teacher-like attendings :D ) but my evaluator and LOR writer would be a Clinical Instructor and not "The Whatever-Whatever Chair of Surgery." Does it matter who writes your non-ophtho core clerkship LOR? :confused:

Thanks.

Dear dk23,
I think you should do your rotation at the institution where you will learn more. Personally, I don't feel that it matters much if your core LOR writer is the dept chair of surgery or an assistant professor. Though, I don't think this is true for your ophtho letter. Rather, your letter should highlight your excellent clinical skills, work ethic, and "what an excellent surgeon you would make" if you had chosen to do general surgey.

Hi all,

I have a choice to do my 3rd-year surgery rotation at my home school (with a top 5 surgery dept) or away at a community hospital. I've heard you learn more away (less scut :) , more teacher-like attendings :D ) but my evaluator and LOR writer would be a Clinical Instructor and not "The Whatever-Whatever Chair of Surgery." Does it matter who writes your non-ophtho core clerkship LOR? :confused:

Thanks.

Ruben is right.

Ophtho attendings (in general) will not know who so-and-so is in any field except ophtho. I think that they are looking more for a letter that says that you are a hard worker, intelligent, will be a great doctor, had outstanding clinical skills, has been "one of the best students we have seen this year/ever on our clerkship," and that they wish they could keep you for their field. Who it is from doesn't really matter.

A stellar letter from someone they don't know is much better than a so-so letter from a possible-somebody that they may or may not know.

The ophtho letters, on the other hand, are a completely different matter...

Dear dk23,
I think you should do your rotation at the institution where you will learn more. Personally, I don't feel that it matters much if your core LOR writer is the dept chair of surgery or an assistant professor. Though, I don't think this is true for your ophtho letter. Rather, your letter should highlight your excellent clinical skills, work ethic, and "what an excellent surgeon you would make" if you had chosen to do general surgey.