Asking for a recommendation letter

[deleted1119158]

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I asked an attending for a letter of recommendation, in September 2021 as a third year. The attending agreed but I have not heard from him since sending my resume. Should I follow up this month or take it as a hint and leave em alone.

Thanks you for your advise.

 

[heybrother]

In like 99% of circumstances the attendings at your school are going to write garbage stockletters that are meaningless. An amazing student with a bunch of publications applied to my program. Literally the attending author on their papers stocklettered them. They did fine but I still found it attrocious. The only times I can recall an attending actually writing a real letter were for students who didn't match where the attending tried to describe the students turn around and what they had been up to.

Where am I going with this - letters are merely a checkmark box on the path to residency. Because the letters are universally such garbage - the end result is no one reads them. They don't set you apart or improve your chances. There is no "power person" you can get to write your letter because no one in Iowa is going to know who is good in NY etc.

Ask some people. Fulfill the requirement. Move on. This isn't like MD/DO residencies where letters open doors.

 

[Feli]

What was it going to be used for? That was about 5 months ago, so hasn't the need passed?

I would have reminded them a couple of weeks after the request, then dropped it if no results. Most docs have a form letter (that's what I use) or just tell you to write the letter and they'll sign it... either way, it gets done that same week.

I agree letters are just to rule out the worst-of-the-worst candidates/students who can't even get a few people to stamp off on them. Later on, you can look forward to hospital peer references, which are similar in that you have to notify busy people that you are giving them more work to do 🙂