applying to FM without FM LORS

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So, I'm applying to FM and I have no LOR's from FM rotation, and I wont get to do a sub I until next year. Is it absolutely terrible?

I have 3 IM lors, that I've assigned.

I also have 1 Peds lor that I could send, but I havent yet. Should I send it also?

I'm not sure what to do to increase my chances. Any advice?

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So, I'm applying to FM and I have no LOR's from FM rotation, and I wont get to do a sub I until next year. Is it absolutely terrible?

I have 3 IM lors, that I've assigned.

I also have 1 Peds lor that I could send, but I havent yet. Should I send it also?

I'm not sure what to do to increase my chances. Any advice?

I don't really understand how you could be applying for FM residency (or any residency at all) if you are not a final-year medical student and thus eligible to do a sub-i rotation or at least an elective rotation in FM. Can you clarify this?

As a general statement, if one is applying to a field, they should have at least one letter from an attending in that field to comment upon their perceived aptitude and suitability for that specialty. For FM, most programs will be satisfied with one letter from FM, and the others can be from other specialties. For other specialties (surgery comes to mind), they would expect all the LORs to come from that specialty.
 
I don't really understand how you could be applying for FM residency (or any residency at all) if you are not a final-year medical student and thus eligible to do a sub-i rotation or at least an elective rotation in FM. Can you clarify this?

As a general statement, if one is applying to a field, they should have at least one letter from an attending in that field to comment upon their perceived aptitude and suitability for that specialty. For FM, most programs will be satisfied with one letter from FM, and the others can be from other specialties. For other specialties (surgery comes to mind), they would expect all the LORs to come from that specialty.


I'm an IMG and I'm a 4th year student, but with how my schedule turned out my only available chance to do a sub I in FM is in 2011, as one of my last electives before graduation.

My first rotation was FM, and I spent 2 weeks with on physician and another 4 weeks in a clinic setting run by a husband/wife combo.

The first attending stated that he felt that he couldnt write a letter for anyone he only did 2 weeks worth of rotating with. the other two are out of the country until November, so I can not contact them for a letter. Thats why I have no letters for FM.

What I do have is 3 IM lors and 1 Peds lor.

I've assigned the 3 IM lors to the programs I'm applying to, but the 1 peds one I have not yet, b/c i just found out that she gave me a B in the rotation, which I don't understand why. So I'm hesitant about using her letter until I speak with her, which should be tomorrow. Shes already mailed the letter so it should be uploaded and stuff without problems but I just haven't assigned it yet.


So, back to my original question. Is it terrible that I dont have an FM LOR, or is it still ok? Should I try to ask that one attending again, I feel like if I asked him a few more times he'll give in and write me one, but I wouldn't know how strong it would be.
 
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oh my....what's even the point of applying and u aint even ecfmg certified yet...programs want u certified AT THE TIME OF APPLYING!!:eek:
u aint gonna get squat for iv's, B.:smuggrin:
u better count on next year b:wow:
 
oh my....what's even the point of applying and u aint even ecfmg certified yet...programs want u certified AT THE TIME OF APPLYING!!:eek:
u aint gonna get squat for iv's, B.:smuggrin:
u better count on next year b:wow:


almost every single program states that as long as youre ECFMG certified by rank time youre fine. Which I will be, God willing.

way to say horrible things. :(
 
not true... not true... not true....:thumbdown:
substantiated by my experience last year....however that was mostly psych.:mad:
"almost every single program"....-ve:nono:
dont get ur hopes up love.:slap:
 
not true... not true... not true....:thumbdown:
substantiated by my experience last year....however that was mostly psych.:mad:
"almost every single program"....-ve:nono:
dont get ur hopes up love.:slap:

to be ECFMG certified, you need to have graduated from med school. Since the OP is a 4th year student, she will not be eligible to even apply for certification at this time. Sounds like the OP is a carib student, and no carib student is ECFMG certified even by rank time. They usually get it a couple of week before residency starts. So the OP should not worry about the ECFMG thing for now.

thanks for unncessarily scaring the OP. http://www.ecfmg.org/cert/certfact.html#elig
 
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So, I'm applying to FM and I have no LOR's from FM rotation, and I wont get to do a sub I until next year. Is it absolutely terrible?

I have 3 IM lors, that I've assigned.

I also have 1 Peds lor that I could send, but I havent yet. Should I send it also?

I'm not sure what to do to increase my chances. Any advice?

how are your step scores? and what school are you from?

It would be ideal to have FM letters, but you have to make the best of the situation. Expect questions questioning whether FM is really what you want to do instead of IM but try to have a good answer prepared. I think you should be fine. Especially since FM was your first rotation, it's hard to get a letter from someone you worked with over a year previously.
 
to be ECFMG certified, you need to have graduated from med school. Since the OP is a 4th year student, she will not be eligible to even apply for certification at this time. Sounds like the OP is a carib student, and no carib student is ECFMG certified even by rank time. They usually get it a couple of week before residency starts. So the OP should not worry about the ECFMG thing for now.

thanks for unncessarily scaring the OP. http://www.ecfmg.org/cert/certfact.html#elig

Thanks for saying something also, for a true IMG with no US experience, yes they do like you to be certified at the time of applying, but for us caribs its not so bad.

how are your step scores? and what school are you from?

It would be ideal to have FM letters, but you have to make the best of the situation. Expect questions questioning whether FM is really what you want to do instead of IM but try to have a good answer prepared. I think you should be fine. Especially since FM was your first rotation, it's hard to get a letter from someone you worked with over a year previously.

im from one of the big three, and my steps are just avg. I do have some good answers prepared, so I'm not worried about answering them.

Do you think I should submit my peds LOR just to have an extra something for the lack of my FM lor?
 
Thanks for saying something also, for a true IMG with no US experience, yes they do like you to be certified at the time of applying, but for us caribs its not so bad.



im from one of the big three, and my steps are just avg. I do have some good answers prepared, so I'm not worried about answering them.

Do you think I should submit my peds LOR just to have an extra something for the lack of my FM lor?

I personally would not include the Peds letter especially since you got a B. My theory is only include the 4th letter if you think it's just as good at the other 3. If there is any doubt, forget it. 3 letters is more than enough for 99% of the programs.
 
ya thats what i was thinking. why risk a mediocre letter when I have three great ones in already. thanks
 
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