chairperson letter

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i am trying avoid asking my school's peds chairperson for a letter. i doubt they even know i exist!

i have come across a few schools that "strongly recommend" a chair letter.
i think i would be better served by a letter from someone who knows me well. anyone else have this issue?

 

[StringBean]

I did not get my school's chairperson to write me a letter... I never met him and it just seemed plain ridiculous to get a letter from someone who, like you said, doesn't know I exist. Instead I just made sure to get a letter from the director of medical education in the pediatric department of the hospital I did my 3rd year peds rotation. That will have to be good enough. He knew me well... and he is still one of the 'higher-ups' for those old-fashioned hiearchy-lovers. Hope it's good enough, if not... oh well.

Good Luck!

 

[atsai3]

i am trying avoid asking my school's peds chairperson for a letter. i doubt they even know i exist!

i have come across a few schools that "strongly recommend" a chair letter.
i think i would be better served by a letter from someone who knows me well. anyone else have this issue?

This is only anecdotal, of course, but the Director of the Psychiatry Residency Training Program at my school calls each letter writer for all of the applicants he ranks. After he makes his round of calls, many of the "chairperson letters" he receives are headed straight for the trash bin.

Again, take this FWIW. I'm sure not all P.D.'s do the same.

-AT.

 

[funnygirl]

Everyone in my class applying to peds got a letter from the dept chair. He was actually super helpful and eager to write the letter and I had never met him before. He even offered to call a few programs on my behalf and I'm not an outstanding applicant.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

I was against the Chairperson Letter as well and thus didn't get one. However, I have scheduled interviews at programs where the Chair Letter was either "strongly recommended" or "required" ...so I don't think they are an absolute to getting an interview.