Does a psych chair letter count as a 'psych' letter for residency

[DO_or_Die]

I've heard that some programs requires 2 psych letters (I'm applying combined psych/child psych btw). I will have 1 psych letter, 1 psych chair letter from my school, 1 peds letter and 1 IM letter. Is this sufficient? All of my letters are fairly strong, at least I sure hope so, and I believe you can only have 4 ERAS letters so I'm unsure on the utility of an additional letter. Thank you.

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[Monocles]

Yes. OP why do you think it would not? (Is the chair someone who has observed/supervised you clinically? Or just a figurehead who you have not worked with?)

 

[comp1]

I am guessing the chair has not observed them, but I kind of doubt a program is going to be so detail oriented about this.

 

[FlowRate]

Does the chair letter function similarly to committee letters that some undergrads did for med school applicants? e.g. Collation of reports from many people that worked with you.

 

[DO_or_Die]

Yes. OP why do you think it would not? (Is the chair someone who has observed/supervised you clinically? Or just a figurehead who you have not worked with?)

A figurehead that I have not worked with, which makes me wonder how useful that letter would be

Yes. OP why do you think it would not? (Is the chair someone who has observed/supervised you clinically? Or just a figurehead who you have not worked with?)

Correct in that the chair has not observed me directly. I'm not entirely sure what would be incorporated into this kind of a letter.

 

[Stagg737]

If they haven't observed or worked with you why do you have a letter from them? Is this something standard at your school that everyone applying to psych gets? Like some kind of secondary Dean's Letter or MSPE attachment?

 

[DO_or_Die]

If they haven't observed or worked with you why do you have a letter from them? Is this something standard at your school that everyone applying to psych gets? Like some kind of secondary Dean's Letter or MSPE attachment?

That is correct, everyone applying psych was told by admin that we have to get this kind of letter from the psych department at the school. They do the same for those applying peds, IM, etc. The letter comes after a formalized interview.

 

[ObsequiousAplomb]

That is correct, everyone applying psych was told by admin that we have to get this kind of letter from the psych department at the school. They do the same for those applying peds, IM, etc. The letter comes after a formalized interview.

I recommend you ask the person writing it (or someone in their office who would know) how to best utilize the letter. If they're a chair writing a chair letter, they know exactly how to consider the letter if a similar one ended up on their desk (as I'm sure does very frequently, since everyone applying psych apparently needs this letter at your school).

If they say you still would need X number of clinical letters, I would recommend you listen to them.

 

[FlowRate]

That is correct, everyone applying psych was told by admin that we have to get this kind of letter from the psych department at the school. They do the same for those applying peds, IM, etc. The letter comes after a formalized interview.

I wouldn't say this practice is as formalized as at your school most places but it's not uncommon to get a name-recognized Chair to write a letter that references feedback from multiple other attendings you worked with in the department.

 

[Stagg737]

Personally, unless this is the situation mentioned above where multiple attendings you worked with are involved in how it's written, I probably wouldn't use it unless I was struggling for letters. Strong letters from established attendings that worked directly with you who can speak directly to your strengths and why you'd be great means more than a generic chair letter. Others may disagree, but imo someone vouching for you who doesn't need to carries more weight than a letter created because of a policy.