Choice of LORs for ERAS

[risperdoll]

Hello! Fourth year med student applying psych here. I’m going to be starting my one pre-ERAS audition shortly, and plan on asking for a LOR. Currently, I have a letter from my peds preceptor (I’m looking to do CAP), core psych preceptor, and one in the works from my endocrinology preceptor. I asked for the last one about a month into COVID shutdown because I was concerned I might not get any auditions this year, I had gotten a really nice eval from her, and frankly there is a lot of psych in endo.

My issue is that my LOR from my psych preceptor is really short and kind of general, owing to the fact that he was barely there so I only spent maybe 12 hours with him the whole month. I am doing an outpatient psych rotation the month following my sub-I at the same program, so my question is whether it would be better to get two letters from different preceptors at this facility, and get rid of my core psych preceptor LOR, OR do the same but get rid of the endo letter since it’s less relevant, OR just get one from my preceptor on my audition and not a second one on my outpatient rotation?

Basically, is it better to have more specialty-specific letters, even if they’re lower quality? And is it okay to get two letters from different preceptors at the same program, particularly as a visiting student?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[clozareal]

Basically, is it better to have more specialty-specific letters, even if they’re lower quality? And is it okay to get two letters from different preceptors at the same program, particularly as a visiting student?

It's better to get letters from physicians who know your work ethic best, doesn't have to be specialty-specific as long as you have the required number of psych letters that the residency program requires. Yes to the second question.

 

[splik]

Few things:
1. You need the best letters, specialty is irrelevant.
2. You only need 1 psych letter. 2 is fine if you have really strong psych letters. You don't need one from your core clerkship and in fact it is usually better to get one from a sub-i or advanced elective where your skills will hopefully be better and you should have more contact with an attending.
3. It is perfectly fine to get 2 letters from the same rotation. But probably not necessary. You only need 3 letters for the vast majority of programs. Even most programs who say 4 letters are counting the MSPE as one letter. Except is research tracks where an additional research letter may be expected.
4. When asking for LoRS, ask if they can write you a "Strong" LoR. If they cannot, they will either decline, ignore you, or ask you to write your own. Move on. Exception is that some people just suck at writing letters.
5. Finally, try to provide referees with your personal statement, CV, and any additional information you might want them to include reflect on (e.g. reminder of pts you worked or on other notable things). Basically help us to help you.

 

[risperdoll]

Few things:
1. You need the best letters, specialty is irrelevant.
2. You only need 1 psych letter. 2 is fine if you have really strong psych letters. You don't need one from your core clerkship and in fact it is usually better to get one from a sub-i or advanced elective where your skills will hopefully be better and you should have more contact with an attending.
3. It is perfectly fine to get 2 letters from the same rotation. But probably not necessary. You only need 3 letters for the vast majority of programs. Even most programs who say 4 letters are counting the MSPE as one letter. Except is research tracks where an additional research letter may be expected.
4. When asking for LoRS, ask if they can write you a "Strong" LoR. If they cannot, they will either decline, ignore you, or ask you to write your own. Move on. Exception is that some people just suck at writing letters.
5. Finally, try to provide referees with your personal statement, CV, and any additional information you might want them to include reflect on (e.g. reminder of pts you worked or on other notable things). Basically help us to help you.

Thank you so much! This is exactly the type of response I was looking for, and I’m feeling reassured now.