Asking for recommendations BEFORE a rotation - Help Please!

[hwolfe]

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Hi all! I'm about to start a new elective rotation in an area of medicine that I'm highly interested in specializing in. I want to essentially ask for a future recommendation the first day of the rotation. I was thinking of telling the professor that I'm planning to apply for an internship via the match program, and tell him that I'd like to be evaluated a little more closely over the next few weeks so that he can hopefully choose to recommend me. I'm not exactly sure how to put this in a conversation though. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

 

[lailanni]

Hi all! I'm about to start a new elective rotation in an area of medicine that I'm highly interested in specializing in. I want to essentially ask for a future recommendation the first day of the rotation. I was thinking of telling the professor that I'm planning to apply for an internship via the match program, and tell him that I'd like to be evaluated a little more closely over the next few weeks so that he can hopefully choose to recommend me. I'm not exactly sure how to put this in a conversation though. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

It seems awkward to ask for a recommendation or even hint at one when someone hasn't even worked with you yet.

I would just go with the first part "I was thinking of telling the professor that I'm planning to apply for an internship via the match program". If you're really engaged and do well during the rotation, they'll be watching you more closely and it will be easy to ask for a recommendation -- at the end. Make an effort to shine in rounds, do a good job on your patient care, research related topics that come up in discussion, ask in-depth questions that show your understanding, see if there's any way you can assist with extra cases. I would think your enthusiasm for the specialty would show - and that gives a much better impression than asking for a recommendation on the first day.

 

[david594]

It seems awkward to ask for a recommendation or even hint at one when someone hasn't even worked with you yet.

I actually remember one professor on clinics who asked us to do exactly this. They wanted to know the first day of the rotation who planned to pursue advanced training and might ask for recommendations just so they could be sure they paid adequate attention to that student to be able to give them a reasonable evaluation.

I probably wouldn't ask for a recommendation day 1, but I would point out that the rotation is within your area of interest and that you are hoping to pursue advanced training in that area and you want to be challenged.