Asking for LORs

[persia]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I have tried to do a search for this topic and I am also wracking my brain to try and remember from other threads I had read.

Is it ok to email a potential person? Should I call their secretary and leave a message? These are all busy people that I do not normally see in a day. I know it might sound like a 'dumb' question but I was just wondering what the ettiquette was for this.

For some reason the threads on the page are not displaying either and all I am seeing is a few threads instead of several pages. Oh well.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I have tried to do a search for this topic and I am also wracking my brain to try and remember from other threads I had read.

Is it ok to email a potential person? Should I call their secretary and leave a message? These are all busy people that I do not normally see in a day. I know it might sound like a 'dumb' question but I was just wondering what the ettiquette was for this.

You can:

1) call their office and leave a message with a way to contact you
2) email them, tell them what you would like to talk with them about, and ask if it would be ok to contact their secretary to schedule an appointment
3) call their secretary and schedule an appointment
4) stop by the office when you know they will be there and ask them

For some reason the threads on the page are not displaying either and all I am seeing is a few threads instead of several pages. Oh well.

I am not sure what you mean by this. Are you saying you are doing a search for LORs and only getting a few threads? Because when I do it, I get 7 pages with over 200 threads. Or are you referring to the similar threads at the bottom of this page? If so, that's not meant to give you the full record of all possible related threads.

 

[persia]

Thanks Dr Scapula, these were ideas that I thought made sense too. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something or some special way of doing this. 🙂

As for not seeing the threads, sometimes on SDN I can only see a few threads and the rest are all hidden. It might just be a momentary glitch because if I come back in a few hours they are usually all visible. There is a ton of info on this ERAS forum so I will use the search button galore!

 

[persia]

New Question:

What do you do when you have left messages for a couple of people or actually talked to their assistants and they do not call you back?

Should I gracefully wait a week or so and then politely call again? I am starting at the top of my potential letter writer list and so this is sort of really bumming me out. What if I can't find anyone to say nice things about me? I am starting to freak out here. 🙁

 

[Winged Scapula]

New Question:

What do you do when you have left messages for a couple of people or actually talked to their assistants and they do not call you back?

Should I gracefully wait a week or so and then politely call again? I am starting at the top of my potential letter writer list and so this is sort of really bumming me out. What if I can't find anyone to say nice things about me? I am starting to freak out here. 🙁

Faculty are pretty busy and sometimes things get shoved off to the side.

If its been more than a month, then I would suggest trying to make an appointment to meet them in person to talk.

 

[Acherona]

New Question:

What do you do when you have left messages for a couple of people or actually talked to their assistants and they do not call you back?

Should I gracefully wait a week or so and then politely call again? I am starting at the top of my potential letter writer list and so this is sort of really bumming me out. What if I can't find anyone to say nice things about me? I am starting to freak out here. 🙁

heh i feel like i wrote this...i emailed an attending on sun and still haven't heard. I'm kinda phucked if i don't get one from this rotation. i feel stupid emailing again.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Apparently, the internet age is upon us.

Last I checked, the most effective (and professional) way to do this was to actually physically ask the person, rather than emailing, texting, or IM'ing them.

I can't wait until a student texts me "CN U RITE ME LOR?".

Perhaps I'm just old fashioned.

 

[Acherona]

Apparently, the internet age is upon us.

Last I checked, the most effective (and professional) way to do this was to actually physically ask the person, rather than emailing, texting, or IM'ing them.

I can't wait until a student texts me "CN U RITE ME LOR?".

Perhaps I'm just old fashioned.

not sure how you are supposed to do this in person once the rotation is over. i have no idea where these attendings are presuming they are no longer doing ward service. I'm working at a different hospital site now. Doesn't seem practical to take a day off to wander over to their office and hang outside til I bump into them but it also seems a little invasive to call or page to ask when they are free. I don't know who their secretary is but I don't see the point in going through a secretary anyway when I can email them directly.

 

[Winged Scapula]

not sure how you are supposed to do this in person once the rotation is over. i have no idea where these attendings are presuming they are no longer doing ward service. I'm working at a different hospital site now. Doesn't seem practical to take a day off to wander over to their office and hang outside til I bump into them but it also seems a little invasive to call or page to ask when they are free. I don't know who their secretary is but I don't see the point in going through a secretary anyway when I can email them directly.

Are those really your reasons? Has the ability to use the phone book, 4-1-1 or even the internet elluded you? 😕

How about trying the following:

Call the hospital where you rotated with this particular attending at.

Ask for the "Department of <fill in appropriate specialty>".

When administrative type person answers, introduce yourself and say you would like to make an appointment to come by and talk to <fill in attending's name here>.

Show up at pre-appointed time.

Or since you like to be more "modern", log onto hospital's web site, follow links to Department or "Search for Physician" and get office phone number that way.

The point in going through the secretary is two-fold:

1)you get a response (which you haven't so far)
2) he/she can tell you how Dr. X prefers to be contacted, when they will be in office etc.

Definitely do NOT page them.

 

[funshine]

Hi,

I have a similar question about etiquette when asking for LORs.
I'm planning to email my attendings and state I would like to meet to discuss future plans AND ask for an LOR in the email. My bf (not a med student) says it is better to just meet to discuss future plans and then at the meeting, ask for an LOR. I am in favor of being specific- "future plans" sounds vague- but then again, I'm sure more attendings know that implies LOR...

What do you guys think? I'm not sure if I'm splitting hairs here, but it is important to me, as I am about to email some pretty important people!
A couple of these attendings I am pretty comfortable with (e.g. I know they like me) but a couple others are people who are more remote, and I need LORs from them because they are departmental chairs, not because they know me well. I am tempted to be more vague in my emails with the departmental chairs (mainly b/c I am scared about asking), but I don't know if that's really the correct thing to do.

Also, what if you have only worked with someone for a limited amount of time, but they seem to really like you and say they will write you a strong letter? I feel almost guilty about this, and would like to do more clinic with this particular attending. However, the next opening is in late September, which is kind of late to procure an LOR.

Thanks for your help! 🙂

 

[gutonc]

No need to be vague. Everyone you're going to ask for a letter has had to ask multiple people (multiple times) for such letters. They know what you're asking for so might as well just say it. Also, Dept Chairs are used to this so it will not come as a huge surprise. "I want to meet to discuss my future plans" sounds too wishy-washy and they may not be interested in having that meeting to try to talk you into "Specialty X" when there are 10K other people who want to do it. Just say, "I'm applying to your specialty and would like to meet to discuss whether you feel you could write me a good/great LoR for my application." No need to be coy...this isn't junior high.

 

[WhoisJohnGalt]

No need to be vague. Everyone you're going to ask for a letter has had to ask multiple people (multiple times) for such letters. They know what you're asking for so might as well just say it. Also, Dept Chairs are used to this so it will not come as a huge surprise. "I want to meet to discuss my future plans" sounds too wishy-washy and they may not be interested in having that meeting to try to talk you into "Specialty X" when there are 10K other people who want to do it. Just say, "I'm applying to your specialty and would like to meet to discuss whether you feel you could write me a good/great LoR for my application." No need to be coy...this isn't junior high.

👍