Asking for LOR a year after rotation?

[medstar11]

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Due to the whole COVID situation and the cancelling of several of my most promising rotations, I am facing the challenge of obtaining meaningful LOR for my ERAS application. I have 2 that I believe are very good and I was very much hoping to complete a second rotation with this particular practice before asking for my final LOR as my first rotation with them was at the beginning of 3rd year. I had this second rotation scheduled and then cancelled due to being pulled from rotations and am worried that asking for a letter this far out would not be wise. I was told today there might be a chance I can schedule this rotation again for September but that seems like we would be cutting it super short in terms of the ERAS deadline. Any advice? I am completing my rotations in a rural area so we don't exactly have a plethora of physicians hanging around to schedule rotations with which is another issue. I was not able to complete any aways as the locations I was most interested in were heavily affected by the virus and are not taking outside students for the time being.

 

[GoSpursGo]

It doesn't sound like you have an option; you're correct, I wouldn't wait until September to try and get a letter, and there's probably a decent chance your rotation won't happen then either. You likely won't be the only person asking for a letter from a rotation that passed a while back.

Ask for the letter with a copy of your CV and a draft of your personal statement, and hope it works out.

 

[Doctor Bob]

If the only docs you can ask are ones you rotated with a while ago, then ask them. Attendings understand this is an unusual time and most will be happy to help.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Wheres the downvote when you need it.

Huh? I basically said what you said. OP definitely should ask for that letter, and it'll probably work out.

But there are also plenty of threads on SDN where people thought they had their three letter writers lined up, and then one of them ghosts them or drags their feet forever, or whatever else. Until they have the letter in hand they should be thinking of additional backup options. The one thing I WOULDN'T do is bank on that rotation happening in September like the OP said, as that's too late to ask for a letter.

 

[GoSpursGo]

And ya definitely shouldn't be lax about getting that latter. I followed up 2 weeks later after my initial email asking when I should expect the letter to be uploaded. Then followed up after it passed that date and it was uploaded shortly after. Attendings are busy and can easily forget. Stay on top of it.

Completely agree with this. Don’t be that annoying kid who emails every day, but checking in every 2 weeks is totally fair.

I also like the idea of including a picture to jog their memory. Bottom line, make their job easy. I know it’s tempting to procrastinate on your personal statement and ERAS CV, but those really do go a long way in helping them understand who you are beyond what they were able to see in the couple of weeks you worked with them and what your long term goals and motivation are. If you can provide that whole package in an initial email, rather than them having to email you back and forth, you’re much more likely to get a positive response.

 

[thumbz]

Absolutely send your photo, CV and personal statement. The photo being the single most important part. And make sure the photo looks like you.

To be totally honest, if you could swing by the office I would recommend it to remind the preceptor who you are. I never remember my student's names. I have had to ask the med schools I work with to always send me pictures with their evals so I know who they're talking about.

At one point I got an eval that was a year old (the school missed sending it to me initially and caught it when the student was going from M3 to M4). Even with the headshot of the student it was "who the hell was this? Meets expectations down the board with no comments." So if that was you asking me for a LOR you'd be SOL.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

To be frank, having worn a mask the whole time during my first rotation, if I were to send a photo seeking a LOR in a few months, it would be only of my top half of my face.

The attending who I asked to do my final rotation evaluation briefly glanced at my ID badge picture and commented, "That's what you look like!"