Family Med App without FM LOR??

[NRAI2001]

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Hey guys

So this year I applied to both FM and IM.. I really feel like my FM interviews went well and FM is a better fit for me.. I have about 8-10 FM interviews this year but I don't actually have an FM LOR... It's never come up at any of my interviews.. My LORS are: 1 micu, 1 Nephro, 1 gen surgery.. Mainly because I ended up spending an extended amount of time working with these attendings.

Do you think that my lack of a LOR from an FM attending could end up becoming an issue closer to rank day?

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Hey guys

So this year I applied to both FM and IM.. I really feel like my FM interviews went well and FM is a better fit for me.. I have about 8-10 FM interviews this year but I don't actually have an FM LOR... It's never come up at any of my interviews.. My LORS are: 1 micu, 1 Nephro, 1 gen surgery.. Mainly because I ended up spending an extended amount of time working with these attendings.

Do you think that my lack of a LOR from an FM attending could end up becoming an issue closer to rank day?

If you're a marginal candidate, possibly. If you have decent grades/step scores/interviews, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[MerickManual]

My opinion is that if it were to be an issue, I think it would have popped up before they decided to extend an interview. Since you've had plenty of IVs, I think it shouldn't play much if any role.

 

[MadHopsMD]

For future people who are applying and looking at this thread, I think its necessary to have a FM letter. Lots of programs actually make this mandatory. If you do not have a FM (or cant get it some way), make sure the other people write in your letter "I wish he choosen internal medicine, but he/she was dead set on FM".

It wont make or break you, but its an unwritten rule. otherwise they might be thinking FM is your back up. You do not want to go there.

 

[organdonor]

Not much you can do about it now! Even if you were to ask someone to write a letter now the chances of it being written, submitted, uploaded, and available to programs in time to make a difference is slim. Even then it sounds like it would be a marginal letter at best. It is promising that you have already been extended interview invitations.

I would have to agree with MadHops in that all applicants to FM residencies should have at least one letter from a family physician. Many of the programs website specifically say something along the lines of "Submit 3 letters of recommendation, at least 1 from a family physician" or "preferably from a family physician."

By now hopefully you would have spent enough time with at least one family physician that they would feel comfortable writing you a letter. That you don't have a letter kind of says you haven't spent as much time with a family doctor and may suggest you are indeed using FM as a backup. Whether or not you can change this perception through the rest of your application or interview is up to you.

 

[NRAI2001]

Not much you can do about it now! Even if you were to ask someone to write a letter now the chances of it being written, submitted, uploaded, and available to programs in time to make a difference is slim. Even then it sounds like it would be a marginal letter at best. It is promising that you have already been extended interview invitations.

I would have to agree with MadHops in that all applicants to FM residencies should have at least one letter from a family physician. Many of the programs website specifically say something along the lines of "Submit 3 letters of recommendation, at least 1 from a family physician" or "preferably from a family physician."

By now hopefully you would have spent enough time with at least one family physician that they would feel comfortable writing you a letter. That you don't have a letter kind of says you haven't spent as much time with a family doctor and may suggest you are indeed using FM as a backup. Whether or not you can change this perception through the rest of your application or interview is up to you.

Its just that where I did my FM rotation the attending would change everyweek ... I m going to start another FM rotation this Monday and I m going to talk to the attending to see if they could write a LOR on my behalf to update the programs... otherwise I have about 10-12 FM interview (gone on a little over half of them so far and the LORs never once came up... I dont think most of them have even read my PS or any of my LORs... maybe they do it afterwards for the applicants they liked???)

 

[jm192]

It can't hurt to get it, and if you can--I would.

But--I've talked to program directors from IM and FM that said the letters don't carry much if any weight. They all say about the same thing. Sometimes with FMGs/Carribean grads they're interested in what the letters say regarding language/rotations. I've interviewed at a few places where interviewers hadn't even looked at the packet.

I wouldn't be surprised if some places don't even pay attention to who the letters are from.

ALL that said, I agree with MadHopsMD. I think you absolutely want a letter going in. If you're already here and have interviews--well you have interviews. They're not going to go back and say "well, none of his letters were from a fam doc, so let's not rank him."

 

[NRAI2001]

It can't hurt to get it, and if you can--I would.

But--I've talked to program directors from IM and FM that said the letters don't carry much if any weight. They all say about the same thing. Sometimes with FMGs/Carribean grads they're interested in what the letters say regarding language/rotations. I've interviewed at a few places where interviewers hadn't even looked at the packet.

I wouldn't be surprised if some places don't even pay attention to who the letters are from.

ALL that said, I agree with MadHopsMD. I think you absolutely want a letter going in. If you're already here and have interviews--well you have interviews. They're not going to go back and say "well, none of his letters were from a fam doc, so let's not rank him."

Well thats what I m kinda worried about? I really hope that on further scrutiny of my application they may do just this....??