DO Student applying without Chair of IM Letter?

[serimeri]

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Hi,
I decided to do IM later on and made the foolish mistake of not advising my school about my deciision (as I do my rotations out of state). I have gotten a few interviews (not so great) with my letters and these programs are lower tier at best programs. I was wondering if I should try and consult my department chair for IM at all? He gives out a letter but I am not sure if he would do it quick enough and if it will help in procuring any interviews at a desirable place where my fiance is going to be?

Thanks

 

[McSap]

Are the rest of your letters from IM attendings? If so i would imagine its unlikely that the lack of a dept chair letter is really the limiting factor on your application.

I cant see how it would do any harm though. You can always get whatever letter, and send a well written email to programs expressing your strong interest and why you want to train there, and tell them you have whatever letter on file in case that would help your application in any way. You really don't have anything to lose this late in the game.

 

[disorder]

Hi,
I decided to do IM later on and made the foolish mistake of not advising my school about my deciision (as I do my rotations out of state). I have gotten a few interviews (not so great) with my letters and these programs are lower tier at best programs. I was wondering if I should try and consult my department chair for IM at all? He gives out a letter but I am not sure if he would do it quick enough and if it will help in procuring any interviews at a desirable place where my fiance is going to be?

Thanks

It's very late in the game. Whatever you decide to do you better do it NOW.

 

[rokshana]

Are the rest of your letters from IM attendings? If so i would imagine its unlikely that the lack of a dept chair letter is really the limiting factor on your application.

I cant see how it would do any harm though. You can always get whatever letter, and send a well written email to programs expressing your strong interest and why you want to train there, and tell them you have whatever letter on file in case that would help your application in any way. You really don't have anything to lose this late in the game.

actually, it can have a big effect....many programs require a Chair LoR...without it many programs don't look any further.

 

[rokshana]

Hi,
I decided to do IM later on and made the foolish mistake of not advising my school about my deciision (as I do my rotations out of state). I have gotten a few interviews (not so great) with my letters and these programs are lower tier at best programs. I was wondering if I should try and consult my department chair for IM at all? He gives out a letter but I am not sure if he would do it quick enough and if it will help in procuring any interviews at a desirable place where my fiance is going to be?

Thanks

is this for DO or MD?

you may want to start calling programs that you did not hear from and let them know that you are interested in their program and ask if there are any cancellations and that you would come for any last minute cancellations.

sure if you can actually get the chair to write you a great letter then go a head...but asking this late may not necessarily generate a good rec...better you have no rec than a mediocre or bad letter.

YOU need to start reaching out...call and call again...at this point you have nothing to lose and may gain 1 or 2 extra interviews...and be prepared to SOAP (or whatever the DO equivalent is...)

 

[serimeri]

in my case, I wanted to do another specialty more (Psychiatry), but after doing an auditon rotation, I dont think I can do it and deal with those patients.

I applied to IM as well in September as a "back up" primarily to AOA programs. Then I got an interview at a place that is quite malignant and went. However, recently I got interviews at 2 places that one of my past attendings knew (he wrote me a letter--he was a PCP who I did my IMED outpatient with).

I have not done an IM audition but I think its the only field where I would have more opportunity at this stage of my life. I think my school is quite slow and will not process a letter quick enough. Additionally, I dont think the chair of IM will be too happy when I tell him that I am applying to multiple specialties. I dont want to risk a bad letter either.

I do not like any AOA program that i went to and I would much rather have a better chance at the ACGME progams that I have interviewed at. I will try calling and seeing what I can come up with. I have a pulmonologist who I did an elective with who could write me a good letter, would have a letter from him (given he has no academic affiliation) be of any use?

at this point, I feel like i realy screwed myself up by not doing internal med auditions both froma learning perspectived and applicant perspective, but will i be totally screwed if i dont have a letter from a chair, granted some people have given me interviews without it?

 

[McSap]

FWIW I got a fair number of interviews without having a chair letter from programs which specified it as one of their application requirements, so at least some places seem flexible

 

[serimeri]

FWIW I got a fair number of interviews without having a chair letter from programs which specified it as one of their application requirements, so at least some places seem flexible

thanks, at one place in particular, it lists it as a requirement but they gave me the interview without it, i just hope they will rank me without it too.

this is for a reasonably respected ACGME program.

 

[AlmadeDr]

I also applied this year without a Chair letter, only applied to ACGME programs. Of the programs that had specified the need for such a letter, several offered me an interview without any extra effort on my part. About a month or so into the interview offers, I chose a couple of the university programs I hadn't heard anything from yet and said I was aware that my application did not have this letter due to my school structure, but I hoped that I was otherwise a competitive candidate and that they would consider me. The next day I got an invitation from one of them.

Showing interest and encouraging review of your application can work, but it is super late and also hard to say what your application looks like to programs since you originally intended to apply to another specialty. Good luck, nothing to lose with making calls/emails at this point and tell them you're willing to travel to them at the drop of a hat

 

[serimeri]

I also applied this year without a Chair letter, only applied to ACGME programs. Of the programs that had specified the need for such a letter, several offered me an interview without any extra effort on my part. About a month or so into the interview offers, I chose a couple of the university programs I hadn't heard anything from yet and said I was aware that my application did not have this letter due to my school structure, but I hoped that I was otherwise a competitive candidate and that they would consider me. The next day I got an invitation from one of them.

Showing interest and encouraging review of your application can work, but it is super late and also hard to say what your application looks like to programs since you originally intended to apply to another specialty. Good luck, nothing to lose with making calls/emails at this point and tell them you're willing to travel to them at the drop of a hat

thanks I did this and got some interviews. my question is, at this the point, after i have gotten the interviews and i am now at the ranking stage, would it be suspicious why i did not have a LOR from a chair letter when my classmates did who also applied to some of the same programs?

i guess its all speculation at this point. however, i am not 100% confident that i would be able to obtain a good LOR from my chair and i am even concerned that she may not try and delve into my candidacy for IM given the fact that i did not do any sub-i's/auditions in the field. thanks

 

[gutonc]

The only thing that getting (and sending) a Chair's Letter will do for your app at this point is raise suspicion about your motives. It's also probably going to suck. So don't bother. Rank every program where you interviewed and cross your fingers on No Match Day.

 

[bashwell]

By the way, for US-IMGs (Australia), who are only able to get a generic chair's letter, is it better to submit a generic chair's letter + 3 good LORs, or just any of the 4 best LORs you can get?

 

[disorder]

By the way, for US-IMGs (Australia), who are only able to get a generic chair's letter, is it better to submit a generic chair's letter + 3 good LORs, or just any of the 4 best LORs you can get?

Get a chair letter.