Do adcoms call letter writers?

[hazelnutmilktea]

Last year, I was in my PI's office while he was on a call with a grad school regarding a student he wrote a LOR for, so I'm wondering if med schools do the same thing? All the threads I can find on this are from years ago, and they generally said that occasionally yes, but it is unlikely. I'm wondering if anything has changed since? Does anyone know?

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[Angus Avagadro]

I have called PDs for students I was endorsing for their respective residencies. These PDs were either former colleagues or residency classmates. However, this has happened exactly twice, and the students were outstanding candidates.

 

[hazelnutmilktea]

I have called PDs for students I was endorsing for their respective residencies. These PDs were either former colleagues or residency classmates. However, this has happened exactly twice, and the students were outstanding candidates.

Oh I see, thank you! So the recommender would initiate the conversation in this case, not the school/program?

 

[Moko]

From what I've seen, adcoms rarely call letter writers unless they know them in person (from school, work, etc) and want to get the low-down. Otherwise, there isn't much point in doing so as theoretically any information that the letter writer could give is already in the letter itself. I personally have not called up any letter writers, but I also haven't been doing this long.

 

[hazelnutmilktea]

From what I've seen, adcoms rarely call letter writers unless they know them in person (from school, work, etc) and want to get the low-down. Otherwise, there isn't much point in doing so as theoretically any information that the letter writer could give is already in the letter itself. I personally have not called up any letter writers, but I also haven't been doing this long.

Thank you so much for your help, I understand now

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Oh I see, thank you! So the recommender would initiate the conversation in this case, not the school/program?

Usually that would be the case. I have never had a PD I knew contact me because I wrote a letter, but I'm sure itmight happen, although I would suspect it would be a rare occurrence.