Couple of LoR questions

[OBApplicant]

Hello guys and gals, I had a couple questions regarding LoRs. A little background first, I'm an IMG who has done some electives in the US last year with competitive scores on USMLEs. Because my school only graduates us after July (thus not able to start in last year's cycle) I have an LoR from last August. I just learned that the LoR will not be stellar (other two are) and I have a couple questions regarding its use:

1. Since it is hands-on experience I would like to use it but should I have the author keep last years date to show improvement (other two letters are better) or do I have the author date it to this year because it carries more weight if it is recent?

2. Another option is scrapping the LoR all together and trying to get a better one from an externship/observership (since I graduated a month ago) I started this week? Basically is a stellar "hands-off" observership LoR better than a not so stellar "hands-on" elective LoR?

Thank you for all your help!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mvenus929]

Is it more of a neutral or more of a negative LOR? If it's negative, scrap it. If it's neutral, then that's more difficult to assess given that you need 3 letters. What are the other two letters from?

 

[OBApplicant]

Thanks for the fast reply. Not negative, just didn't have enough time with the author so it's more of a neutral/slightly positive. Other two letters are from a professor and private practice doc, both in the field I am applying to.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Hello guys and gals, I had a couple questions regarding LoRs. A little background first, I'm an IMG who has done some electives in the US last year with competitive scores on USMLEs. Because my school only graduates us after July (thus not able to start in last year's cycle) I have an LoR from last August. I just learned that the LoR will not be stellar (other two are) and I have a couple questions regarding its use:

1. Since it is hands-on experience I would like to use it but should I have the author keep last years date to show improvement (other two letters are better) or do I have the author date it to this year because it carries more weight if it is recent?

2. Another option is scrapping the LoR all together and trying to get a better one from an externship/observership (since I graduated a month ago) I started this week? Basically is a stellar "hands-off" observership LoR better than a not so stellar "hands-on" elective LoR?

Thank you for all your help!

Is the neutral/negative LOR from the field you want to apply to? If so, don't use it. Do you have any contacts from your prior USCE that you can talk to about getting a good letter?