Anesthesia LOR Question

[TheOther]

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I have a question about the timing of getting LORs for anesthesia.

After researching a bit, I'm seeing that away rotations aren't necessary to apply for anesthesia and match well. Since this is the case:

1. When is the best time to do the anesthesia rotations to get solid LORs? Late 3rd year? Early 4th? If early 4th year, are "regular" rotating students distinguished from away students?

2. Did you ask for LORs right after the rotation? Or closer to application time via ERAS? If its closer to application time but an anesthesia elective was done mid 3rd year, would a strong letter even come from this?

I'm still a second year so I have no idea how the timing of the application process works. I'm going to be scheduling my 3rd year electives soon so I'm hoping to figure out the timeline.

I apologize if my questions seem scatter-brained. Thanks!

 

[26B]

See answers in bold:

I have a question about the timing of getting LORs for anesthesia.

After researching a bit, I'm seeing that away rotations aren't necessary to apply for anesthesia and match well. Since this is the case:

1. When is the best time to do the anesthesia rotations to get solid LORs? Late 3rd year? Early 4th? If early 4th year, are "regular" rotating students distinguished from away students?

Early 4th year is when most applicants will do an anesthesia rotation of some sort. Some schools offer this as an acting internship, similar to IM or surgery, while other places may offer it as an elective rotation.

If you're at a place with an anesthesia residency, there may be students from other schools rotating at the same time as you. However, this is not a big deal since medical students are typically assigned to work with separate attendings/residents.


2. Did you ask for LORs right after the rotation? Or closer to application time via ERAS? If its closer to application time but an anesthesia elective was done mid 3rd year, would a strong letter even come from this?

If doing a 4th year rotation, it is better to ask earlier (July/August) so that you give your letter writer enough time before the 9/15 ERAS deadline. You don't want to be in a position where your application is submitted but you're still waiting on multiple letters.

It is absolutely fine to get a letter from a third year rotation. If you do your rotation early or mid third year like I did and really worked well with a particular attending, I would recommend keeping in touch with them. If you ask for a letter, some attendings will want to meet with you late in third year or early in fourth year to talk about your application. This would be a good time to give them a copy of your PS/CV for the letter.

 

[TheOther]

See answers in bold:

Awesome, thank you!

 

[timgasman]

I have a question about the timing of getting LORs for anesthesia.

After researching a bit, I'm seeing that away rotations aren't necessary to apply for anesthesia and match well. Since this is the case:

1. When is the best time to do the anesthesia rotations to get solid LORs? Late 3rd year? Early 4th? If early 4th year, are "regular" rotating students distinguished from away students?

2. Did you ask for LORs right after the rotation? Or closer to application time via ERAS? If its closer to application time but an anesthesia elective was done mid 3rd year, would a strong letter even come from this?

I'm still a second year so I have no idea how the timing of the application process works. I'm going to be scheduling my 3rd year electives soon so I'm hoping to figure out the timeline.

I apologize if my questions seem scatter-brained. Thanks!

I don't think timing matters. I would simply ask the recommendations as soon as I feel I have created a solid impression of myself and will get thhe strongest letter.

 

[Psai]

I asked for a letter from my first clinical clerkship when I was in fourth year. Ask for letters early so that you don't get screwed if someone "forgets". No need to do aways although I think they are helpful for getting a specific program or breaking into a region to which you have no ties.

 

[TheOther]

I asked for a letter from my first clinical clerkship when I was in fourth year. Ask for letters early so that you don't get screwed if someone "forgets". No need to do aways although I think they are helpful for getting a specific program or breaking into a region to which you have no ties.

Are aways any rotation that requires VSAS or a program's individual away application? And are away students held to different standards/expectations than a regular rotating student?

 

[NEU305]

Are aways any rotation that requires VSAS or a program's individual away application? And are away students held to different standards/expectations than a regular rotating student?

Most away rotations (aside from those affiliated with your home institution and probably a few random places) use VSAS. There's usually some sort of additional requirements from each programs though (special vaccination forms, statements of interests, etc). Expectations are largely the same regardless of where you're from. Everything above from the other posters is spot on. I'll also echo that unless you're trying to break into a certain geographic area with which you have no ties or if you are in love with a certain program, away rotations probably aren't that helpful. They're quite expensive (double rent, plane tickets, food, transportation, VSAS fees, etc), and it's really hard to stand out (and not be in the way). If you do decently on Step 1 (220+) , you'll get plenty of interviews.

- MS4 who did two aways. YMMV

 

[ToKingdomCome]

Most away rotations (aside from those affiliated with your home institution and probably a few random places) use VSAS. There's usually some sort of additional requirements from each programs though (special vaccination forms, statements of interests, etc). Expectations are largely the same regardless of where you're from. Everything above from the other posters is spot on. I'll also echo that unless you're trying to break into a certain geographic area with which you have no ties or if you are in love with a certain program, away rotations probably aren't that helpful. They're quite expensive (double rent, plane tickets, food, transportation, VSAS fees, etc), and it's really hard to stand out (and not be in the way). If you do decently on Step 1 (220+) , you'll get plenty of interviews.

- MS4 who did two aways. YMMV

Do you see aways being beneficial for below average applicants?

 

[AdmiralChz]

Do you see aways being beneficial for below average applicants?

Perhaps, but if your stats are really low it might be difficult to overcome the numbers, so be sure to do an away at a program within your reach (see the bazillion other threads on this...). I've seen visiting students at my programs fall into 3 groups:
1) Average med student who is nice enough (50-75%)
2) Highly motivated student who takes as active a role as possible, has a solid knowledge base and gives off an interested vibe (so hard to explain this one well) (~15-20%)
3) Weirdo who turned almost everyone off (either hyper-aggressive, self-aggrandizing or just simply annoying) (~15-20%)

 

[NEU305]

Do you see aways being beneficial for below average applicants?

I agree 100% with what @AdmiralChz said. If you somehow get an away at MGH, Stanford, UCSF, etc with a 205 Step 1, your odds still probably aren't great even if you're a great person to work with. I did my aways at programs that were slight reaches based on my stats. One was at a solid program in a region I had no ties to but would love to live in and the other was at a slightly better program where tons of people apply. I think I did an alright job at toeing the line between being nice enough and motivated, and I received interview invites at both programs in the first batch which probably wouldn't have happened without the aways.

 

[ToKingdomCome]

I agree 100% with what @AdmiralChz said. If you somehow get an away at MGH, Stanford, UCSF, etc with a 205 Step 1, your odds still probably aren't great even if you're a great person to work with. I did my aways at programs that were slight reaches based on my stats. One was at a solid program in a region I had no ties to but would love to live in and the other was at a slightly better program where tons of people apply. I think I did an alright job at toeing the line between being nice enough and motivated, and I received interview invites at both programs in the first batch which probably wouldn't have happened without the aways.

Awesome. Thanks. I plan to do many aways based on my stats (I figure it can only help, I don't think I'm a weird person). I'll most likely do most at realistic programs with some reaches

 

[sigrhoillusion]

I have a question about the timing of getting LORs for anesthesia.

After researching a bit, I'm seeing that away rotations aren't necessary to apply for anesthesia and match well. Since this is the case:

1. When is the best time to do the anesthesia rotations to get solid LORs? Late 3rd year? Early 4th? If early 4th year, are "regular" rotating students distinguished from away students?

2. Did you ask for LORs right after the rotation? Or closer to application time via ERAS? If its closer to application time but an anesthesia elective was done mid 3rd year, would a strong letter even come from this?

I'm still a second year so I have no idea how the timing of the application process works. I'm going to be scheduling my 3rd year electives soon so I'm hoping to figure out the timeline.

I apologize if my questions seem scatter-brained. Thanks!

The key timing for LOR is as quickly as possible, but once you get it don't go any further or else you'll wet tap... 😉