2 LOR from same rotation?

[Parrothead]

I have a question for everyone here. I have two excellent letters of recommendation from the same rotation, a visiting elective I did at a pretty prestigous institution. Is it OK to use both of them? I have two other letters, each one from a core rotation. So do I use one of the core letters plus the two elective letters from the same rotation, or just pick one of the two elective letters to go with the two core letters. Hope everyone sees this as a reasonable question, any insight would be appreciated.

By the way, this question applies to places that only want three letters, or that want a chair letter plus three more.

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[GeneGoddess]

I have a question for everyone here. I have two excellent letters of recommendation from the same rotation, a visiting elective I did at a pretty prestigous institution. Is it OK to use both of them? I have two other letters, each one from a core rotation. So do I use one of the core letters plus the two elective letters from the same rotation, or just pick one of the two elective letters to go with the two core letters. Hope everyone sees this as a reasonable question, any insight would be appreciated.

By the way, this question applies to places that only want three letters, or that want a chair letter plus three more.

Do you mean something like two IM letters and then a FP letter? If so, I think two IM letters are fine. Two of my letters were from Medical Geneticists (one pedi, one adult) and the third was from a Child Psych guy (and I'm going into Pedi/Med Gene).

 

[Parrothead]

No, it's more like this:
Letter #1, Core IM
Letter #2, Core IM SubSp.
Letters #3 and #4, Visiting elective IM SubSp.

 

[GeneGoddess]

No, it's more like this:
Letter #1, Core IM
Letter #2, Core IM SubSp.
Letters #3 and #4, Visiting elective IM SubSp.

OK, so Core General IM was Attending A in Sept, Core IM (Cardiology) was Attending B in Oct, and letters 3 and 4 were from MS4 year. I see no problems with the letters.

 

[Parrothead]

OK, so Core General IM was Attending A in Sept, Core IM (Cardiology) was Attending B in Oct, and letters 3 and 4 were from MS4 year. I see no problems with the letters.

My original question is: If I can use only 3 of these 4, should I use the two awesome letters from the same MS4 rotation at prestigious institution X?

 

[doc05]

My original question is: If I can use only 3 of these 4, should I use the two awesome letters from the same MS4 rotation at prestigious institution X?

if they are truly awesome letters (aren't they supposed to be confidential?), then you should use them. If all 4 are awesome, then use the 3 most awesome letters.

bottom line: the fact that 2 are from the same rotation isn't relevant. the awesomeness factor is.

 

[kenfused]

Yup!
If they are good, it doesn't matter if they are both from the same rotation. Hopefully you've seen the letters. If they both came to you "unsolicited", as in your attendings offered to write the letters for you, then they're probably good ones to use.

 

[golytlely]

No, it's more like this:
Letter #1, Core IM
Letter #2, Core IM SubSp.
Letters #3 and #4, Visiting elective IM SubSp.

The only problem you will run into is that most programs will only ask for MAX 4 letters and one letter MUST be from the head of your IM department at your med school. So you will most likely only use 3 of the other letters, use the 2 from the same place for that specific institution, and then use the ones that knew you best and for longest, or if they specify different aspects, like research, or clinical, or academic.

paz

 

[Parrothead]

Thanks everyone, anyone else have any other thoughts? My only concern is that if I only get to use three letters, and two of them are from the same place, they're not getting as broad of a picture of what I'm all about. Basically, they're seeing how I did on two rotations vs. three. Nonetheless, thanks for the replies. Good luck to everyone.

 

[PeterY]

i have to disagree. what is the point of submitting multiple letters from the same rotation? even if they are "awesome" letters, aren't the letter writers in effect saying the same thing?

ideally i think one should have a letter from:
1) third year medicine clerkship
2) fourth year sub internship
3) medicine sub speciality/away elective
4) department chair letter

letters from a variety of experiences are going tell you more about a student than if the letters were all from the 3rd or 4th years.

if you had to pick 3 letters i would suggest letters 1,2 and 3 or 4. this is unless letters 1 or 2 were not very good letters. you could always submit additional letters to most programs but i would make sure i have letters 1 and 2 in my application.

Peter