Chair letter requirement: Program director's advice appreciated!!

[Orangejem]

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So one of the programs I'm applying to lists a letter from a chair (pediatrics I'm applying to) as part of their requirements.

I have a letter from an associate chair/program director. Will this satisfy the requirement or do I need to somehow get a letter from the chair that I had no contact with because she was on vacation during my clerkship?

 

[sendwich]

So one of the programs I'm applying to lists a letter from a chair (pediatrics I'm applying to) as part of their requirements.

I have a letter from an associate chair/program director. Will this satisfy the requirement or do I need to somehow get a letter from the chair that I had no contact with because she was on vacation during my clerkship?

You don't need to have had to work with your chairman to get a letter. Usually, you would set up an appointment with your chairman, he/she would ask a few questions to get to know you a bit, talk about your cv/ps, and they would write something up for your app.

 

[Orangejem]

First of all, that would be difficult to do at this point since I am doing away rotations right now and I'm like 8 hours away....

Secondly, I know other students who asked her for one and she never responded to their emails or just said she only does it for people she has worked with.

My medical school is not affiliated with just one hospital, there are many. Where I did my pediatrics rotation was a small community hospital and the chair is not really involved in students activities and I have not heard of anyone getting a letter from her.

That's why I am concerned. I am doing a rotation at the program with the chair letter requirement next month, so I was wondering should I just ask them about this while I am there?

 

[NPEMTIV]

First of all, that would be difficult to do at this point since I am doing away rotations right now and I'm like 8 hours away....

Secondly, I know other students who asked her for one and she never responded to their emails or just said she only does it for people she has worked with.

My medical school is not affiliated with just one hospital, there are many. Where I did my pediatrics rotation was a small community hospital and the chair is not really involved in students activities and I have not heard of anyone getting a letter from her.

That's why I am concerned. I am doing a rotation at the program with the chair letter requirement next month, so I was wondering should I just ask them about this while I am there?

I'm in a similar spot with Internal Medicine. At the end of the day there just isn't a way to get a "chair" letter at my school so I got the highest one I could and moved on. If a program doesn't like it and won't interview me over that then such is life. Several programs have offered me interviews already though so I don't think it's that big a deal. (Hasn't been for me). Best of luck!

 

[coup de chance]

BTW why "never trust hospital janitor"?

 

[NPEMTIV]

BTW why "never trust hospital janitor"?

I watched a lot of scrubs back when I had cable....