Application issue - help

Approach him early and ask him now for a letter. I'm pretty sure he knows you will want one, being that you are on an away rotation on his service. If he says yes, go ahead and list it on ERAS. I don't remember how easy it is to change your letters once you've submitted your application, but I think as long as the letter isn't there, you can still change it. That way, if you suck it up royally on the away or are worried about the quality of the letter, you can change it before it hits the programs you sent it to. Don't add a fourth letter; the reasons are addressed on another recent thread.

As noted above, don't send more letters than a program requests.

Once you get an agreement from this faculty member to write a letter, you can assign an ERAS slot for the letter from him, so that its open when you apply to his program.

What if your away rotation doesn't start until late September?

Biscuit799 said:

What if your away rotation doesn't start until late September?

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If you are planning on getting a letter from that rotation, it looks like your letter will be in late (if at all) as most programs deadlines are November 1 (with a few being October 15). You don't have to wait until the end of the rotation to ask for a letter, but this is the reason why audition rotations are typically done earlier if the purpose is to get a letter to use for *other* rotations (ie, you don't necessarily need it for the application to the place you rotated).

Winged Scapula said:

If you are planning on getting a letter from that rotation, it looks like your letter will be in late (if at all) as most programs deadlines are November 1 (with a few being October 15). You don't have to wait until the end of the rotation to ask for a letter, but this is the reason why audition rotations are typically done earlier if the purpose is to get a letter to use for *other* rotations (ie, you don't necessarily need it for the application to the place you rotated).

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I guess that leads me to a follow up question... should I apply to the program as early as I can, and just use a different letter? Or should I wait until I get the letter and just apply late?
I would imagine it'd be better to just apply early, and try to make a good impression without getting a letter, but I'm sure I could easily be wrong...

Biscuit799 said:

I guess that leads me to a follow up question... should I apply to the program as early as I can, and just use a different letter? Or should I wait until I get the letter and just apply late?
I would imagine it'd be better to just apply early, and try to make a good impression without getting a letter, but I'm sure I could easily be wrong...

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Apply early...make mention when you are there that you have applied so that they take a close look at your application. You don't need the letter for that program if you do a good job and they remember you when it comes time for matching.

I'm also in a similar situation and was wondering if I can go ahead and submit ERAS on Sept 2nd with three letters. I'll do my away rotation and ask for a letter. Then can I rescind one letter on ERAS and replace it with my away one since it seems to be more important than the third home letter (didn't want to send four letters b/c as you had mentioned before, it looks like you can't follow directions b/c programs require just three)?

You can't "rescind" a letter if its already been downloaded by the programs to which you've applied to.

If this 4th letter is so important, then you're better off applying with two letters and submitting the 4th when its available (provided its available in the next month or so).

Is it kosher to apply to programs without the requisite number of letters. In other words, If I already have my letter writer picked out and committed, but the letters will not all be available within the next week, is it still ok to apply with the letter not available on ERAS yet?

I have two letters in question. One has been promised, but it is from a department chair, who is busy. I am still chasing it down. The other is from the chief of surgery. It has essentially been agreed to when I finish my current rotation, but that isn't for two more weeks.

Miami_med said:

Is it kosher to apply to programs without the requisite number of letters. In other words, If I already have my letter writer picked out and committed, but the letters will not all be available within the next week, is it still ok to apply with the letter not available on ERAS yet?

I have two letters in question. One has been promised, but it is from a department chair, who is busy. I am still chasing it down. The other is from the chief of surgery. It has essentially been agreed to when I finish my current rotation, but that isn't for two more weeks.

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Yes it is kosher. Depending on the rest of your application programs may offer interviews without a complete application.

grandinsurg said:

So a better strategy would be to apply to the program I'm currently doing an away rotation in, submit only 2 letters and then submit the third from the attending I'm working with a few weeks later when I have it confirmed?

thanks

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Yes, if you think the letter from the away rotation is THAT much more important than any other letter you have. Otherwise, you can apply with the letters you have, but save this letter to be assigned to certain programs in which you think its important to have.

I think you're putting too much weight on this letter. Letters are far down on the list of important things when evaluating an application.

Winged Scapula said:

You can't "rescind" a letter if its already been downloaded by the programs to which you've applied to.

If this 4th letter is so important, then you're better off applying with two letters and submitting the 4th when its available (provided its available in the next month or so).

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Thank you for your response, Dr. Cox.

By "rescind," I meant going back into ERAS, unchecking or deactivating LOR #3 and then sending in the letter from the away rotation. I thought I read in other parts of the forum that you could do this. (I tried to do a search but couldn't find the thread that referred to this.) Maybe I'm wrong....?

Micro115 said:

Thank you for your response, Dr. Cox.

By "rescind," I meant going back into ERAS, unchecking or deactivating LOR #3 and then sending in the letter from the away rotation. I thought I read in other parts of the forum that you could do this. (I tried to do a search but couldn't find the thread that referred to this.) Maybe I'm wrong....?

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You can do that, but if the program has already downloaded your letters then it doesn't make much sense to me. The thread you are referring to is in the ERAS forum, I believe.

At any rate, you guys are putting way too much thought and effort into this. Really. Most of this stuff is so far down on the list of important things when evaluating a candidate that it begs the question, "why are you even worried about it?"

Its nice to have great letters, to have letters from your Sub-I. But frankly, if it means your application isn't complete until late October, I fail to see how this will help. Apply early, with the best letters you have, and if you get a better one and programs will accept a 4th letter, then submit that one.

But don't expect it to make a significant difference in your application...unless your letter is from Cameron or Lillemoe, etc. and they actually know you and don't write a generic letter.

Winged Scapula said:

Yes it is kosher...

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just don't mix bread, dairy, and meat on the same flatware.

JackADeli said:

just don't mix bread, dairy, and meat on the same flatware.

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I do sometimes wonder if my family gave up Judaism in favor of the Cheeseburger. I can't say that I blame them

my chairman's letter was sent late. I got plenty of interviews.

That said, I got interviews from a place I rotated even though I sent 3 home letters PLUS a "hey i rotated here, remember?" letter.

grandinsurg said:

So a better strategy would be to apply to the program I'm currently doing an away rotation in, submit only 2 letters and then submit the third from the attending I'm working with a few weeks later when I have it confirmed?

thanks

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