Letter of Rec Upload

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Niviancer

Niviancer

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In preparation for letter uploading into EFDO, does anyone's program request that all writers of LoRs send their letters to their medicine office, where the PD uploads this? Is this acceptable?
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Niviancer said:
In preparation for letter uploading into EFDO, does anyone's program request that all writers of LoRs send their letters to their medicine office, where the PD uploads this? Is this acceptable?
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Not just acceptable, but should be SOP. It usually isn't but if you PC is offering to do that for you and your letter writers, why wouldn't you do it?
 
Gutonc, thanks again for your timely responses.

The way the EFDO website phrases things, it makes it sound like they are trying to get the letter writers to upload everything themselves. This of course removes the possibility of your PD telling you that Letter A might not be as great as Letter B...
 
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Niviancer said:
Gutonc, thanks again for your timely responses.

The way the EFDO website phrases things, it makes it sound like they are trying to get the letter writers to upload everything themselves. This of course removes the possibility of your PD telling you that Letter A might not be as great as Letter B...
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Are you sure about this old process? I even called ERAS/EFDO and they said LOR Portal is the way to go now for 2014. Make sure you ask the authors that they would write you a positive letter.

https://www.aamc.org/services/eras/282520/lor_portal.html
 
QV.. you called and they said that the letter writers should be uploading themselves?

If the PD office does it, they will possibly upload all the letters under the PD name I think?
 
Niviancer said:
QV.. you called and they said that the letter writers should be uploading themselves?

If the PD office does it, they will possibly upload all the letters under the PD name I think?
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Dude(tte)...read the FAQ. It's all outlined there quite nicely. Your concerns are completely unfounded.
 
PS...are you sure you understand what this program is actually about? Because it is 100% pure win from the applicant's standpoint.

To break it down for you, your program is offering to review your LORs and tell you if they're great, good, or crap. You then choose which ones to use. It removes one of the last inequalities for applicants left in the system. There is essentially no downside to this.

If you're worried that your program will use this to nuke your fellowship chances, don't be. The PD letter will do a marvelous job of that if needed.
 
Haha thanks for the warning =)

I understand that its win win assuming it's permitted. From my understanding, once you create a profile for each letter writer ie 'Dr Hem Onco', the system awaits an upload from him linked to your AAMC id. How does your PD link the two? Doesnt the PD only get to use his own name in the system or he can upload on someone else's behalf without their password? I apologize if this is just poor understanding of the process.
 
Niviancer said:
Haha thanks for the warning =)

I understand that its win win assuming it's permitted. From my understanding, once you create a profile for each letter writer ie 'Dr Hem Onco', the system awaits an upload from him linked to your AAMC id. How does your PD link the two? Doesnt the PD only get to use his own name in the system or he can upload on someone else's behalf without their password? I apologize if this is just poor understanding of the process.
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One more time, with feeling.

RTFM!

SRSLY dude...it's all right there.
 
Gutonc - i believe that the procedure that you mentioned was from last year. AAMC has not uploaded the FAQ for 2014 yet. Here's the link - https://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/eras/fellowship_applicants/
I have a question regard LOR from PD director. Our program has a new PD, do I have to get a LOR from the new PD or get it from the one that left (to a become a PD of a bigger program)? I know I only have 4 slots to get all of my LORs together. How do I get around this? I can also get a really good LOR from the Chairman? Can I use the letter from the Chairman to substitute for the PD's LOR?
 
qv3755 said:
can you send us the link? i was informed that it is no longer the case.
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qv3755 said:
Gutonc - i believe that the procedure that you mentioned was from last year. AAMC has not uploaded the FAQ for 2014 yet. Here's the link - https://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/eras/fellowship_applicants/
I have a question regard LOR from PD director. Our program has a new PD, do I have to get a LOR from the new PD or get it from the one that left (to a become a PD of a bigger program)? I know I only have 4 slots to get all of my LORs together. How do I get around this? I can also get a really good LOR from the Chairman? Can I use the letter from the Chairman to substitute for the PD's LOR?
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Are you guys reading the same page I am?

The one that says, right there at the top"
"ERAS is pleased to offer the LoRP Version 2.0 for the ERAS 2014 season."
and then about halfway down the page:
"New for ERAS 2014 LoRP"
 
gutonc said:
Are you guys reading the same page I am?

The one that says, right there at the top"
"ERAS is pleased to offer the LoRP Version 2.0 for the ERAS 2014 season."
and then about halfway down the page:
"New for ERAS 2014 LoRP"
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who's the Designated Dean's Offices? for IMG people like myself? I suppose the desiganted Dean's Office can perform a quality assurance review of LoRs.

New for ERAS 2014 LoRP
For ERAS 2014, Designated Dean's Offices may have elected the option to perform a quality assurance review of LoRs uploaded via the LoRP before being released to programs.Before assigning LoRs to programs, applicants must finalize LoR Authors in MyERAS, and LoRs must be uploaded to the ERAS PostOffice via the DWS or LoRP. To avoid delay, it is important to upload applicant LoR(s) to the LoRP as soon as possible.
Previously uploaded and current season LoRs are now viewable in the LoRP.
A Letter Writer column was added to the Letters of Recommendation (LoR) Manager. This column will display the letter writer’s name as the applicant entered it on the in MyERAS and the Letter Request Form.
You are now able to sort information by any column in the LoR Manager.

Overview of the LoR Portal Process
1. Applicants access MyERAS to enter and finalize LoR Authors.

2. Applicants print out the Letter Request Form for all LoR Authors and deliver it by email, mail, or in person.

Note: If an applicant waived his/her rights, they should not handle the completed letter.

3. LoR Authors complete their LoR; save it in PDF format; and access the LoRP to upload their letter.

4. LoR Authors and administrators register on the LoRP and create their username and password.

5. LoR Authors log in; enter the applicant's Letter ID; verify the applicant and LoR Author details; and follow the prompts to upload their letter in PDF format (PDFs with encryption, password protection, or digital signatures cannot be processed).

6. The LoR is transmitted to the ERAS PostOffice.

LoR Authors may view uploaded LoRs and/or upload new versions at any time (if needed). Once a LoR has been uploaded, it cannot be deleted or altered in any way. To make changes, you must submit a new version of the LoR. Programs will only be able to view the most recent LoR version.

Note: Using a central account, administrative users may repeat this process for each LoR/Letter ID combination that is provided to them.
 
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which is more helpful for Hem/Onc fellowship? some programs ask for either/or. I don't have room to include both LORs. Please advice since they're both of equal quality.
 
Gutonc - would people on the application review board would like to see LORs from Hem/Onc faculties where I've done my elective and performed research before my residency or would they prefer to LORs from Hem/Onc faculties at my residency program? Also, would LORs from Hem/Onc fellowship program directors count more than LORs from Hem/Onc faculties? If I'm allowed to upload more than 4 letters, I wouldn't have so many questions. Thanks for your help!
 
qv3755 said:
Gutonc - would people on the application review board would like to see LORs from Hem/Onc faculties where I've done my elective and performed research before my residency or would they prefer to LORs from Hem/Onc faculties at my residency program?
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Do you have pubs and/or presentations? If so, then pick 1 (and only 1) of these people to write you a letter.

Also, would LORs from Hem/Onc fellowship program directors count more than LORs from Hem/Onc faculties?
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This is actually a good question. There's no right answer. Given two equally effusive letters, the one from a PD will be worth more than from the non-PD (this assumes you aren't getting LORs from people like Hagop Kantarjian, Charles Sawyers, Kanti Rai, Brian Druker, Dennis Slamon, etc).

But the the PD letter can be a double-edged sword. Every PD LOR I've ever read includes one of the following statements:
"We are actively recruiting Dr. X to join our program and know that whichever program she joins will be lucky to have her."
"Dr. X will be an excellent addition to your program."

The first one means that s/he is actually recommending you. The second one means "I hope somebody takes this loser because the IM PD is starting to get pissed about how few people match in my specialty, but I'm not even ranking this person."

If I'm allowed to upload more than 4 letters, I wouldn't have so many questions.
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I would stop reading after 4 anyway. I'd choose them based on some random criteria that would change from app to app.

Stop trying to make this harder than it is.
 
Gutonc- I have already read the thread regarding how some PD's regard candidates that are doing a Hospice & Palliative care fellowship...but I was wondering when applying for hem/onc this year which PD letter should I request? The PD letter from my Internal Medicine Program (small community program) or the PD letter from the Hospice & Palliative Care program (large university program)? (The IM PD will have known me longer than the HNPC PD). I believe both PDs would write a strong letter. I also have letters from my IM chairman, Hem/Onc Attending/Dept Head and another Hem/Onc attending which I plan on using. Also, if it helps the IM program I went to only has a DO Hem/Onc Fellowship which I am not eligible to apply to since I am an MD.
 
hemonc516 said:
Gutonc- I have already read the thread regarding how some PD's regard candidates that are doing a Hospice & Palliative care fellowship...but I was wondering when applying for hem/onc this year which PD letter should I request? The PD letter from my Internal Medicine Program (small community program) or the PD letter from the Hospice & Palliative Care program (large university program)? (The IM PD will have known me longer than the HNPC PD). I believe both PDs would write a strong letter. I also have letters from my IM chairman, Hem/Onc Attending/Dept Head and another Hem/Onc attending which I plan on using. Also, if it helps the IM program I went to only has a DO Hem/Onc Fellowship which I am not eligible to apply to since I am an MD.
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I would expect a LOR from your IM PD. One from your HPC PD is fine as well. The IM chair letter is probably the least important.
 
gutonc said:
I would expect a LOR from your IM PD. One from your HPC PD is fine as well. The IM chair letter is probably the least important.
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even if the chair letter came from someone who knows you well? and also happened to be famous?
 
qv3755 said:
i think it means there are just too many residents applying for fellowships this year. System overload.
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No this was due to an error in ERAS system due to which it was allotting wrong tokens. US grads were getting tokens of IMGs and vice versa.
 
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