Fellowship apps: to send or not to send

[captaincrunch]

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Hello all,

I'm applying for fellowship this year and had a questions. Some programs want your old med school transcript and MSPE. Some want USMLE scores. Some want only three letters and some want four.

When you apply to fellowships, do you typically send out everything to all programs (e.g., all letters, transcripts, etc), or only what they specifically request? What if a programs website doesn't clearly say? To you ask?

Thanks,
The captain

 

[gutonc]

Hello all,

I'm applying for fellowship this year and had a questions. Some programs want your old med school transcript and MSPE. Some want USMLE scores. Some want only three letters and some want four.

When you apply to fellowships, do you typically send out everything to all programs (e.g., all letters, transcripts, etc), or only what they specifically request? What if a programs website doesn't clearly say? To you ask?

Thanks,
The captain

I sent everything (MSPE, med school transcript, 4 letters, USMLE score report). If you have something you'd rather hide, I suppose you could not send it unless it's specifically asked for, but otherwise, just send it all.

 

[captaincrunch]

Thanks for the feedback. My concern was the sending everything might be interpreted as not following instructions. For example, "we specifically asked for three letters, and this guy sends four. He much not care enough about this program to even bother reading our website."

But I suppose if they don't care about old transcripts, they don't have to read it.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I can't imagine that any program that requests 3 LOR's will be upset if you send 4.

 

[michigangirl]

there's never anything wrong with sending 1 or 2 extra recommendation letters unless there are specific instructions NOT to. BUT: make sure they are ALL from people you KNOW wrote you a strong letter (if you haven't seen them)- mediocre letters are bad letters and will hurt you more than help.

 

[Buzz Me]

Hello all,

I'm applying for fellowship this year and had a questions. Some programs want your old med school transcript and MSPE. Some want USMLE scores. Some want only three letters and some want four.

When you apply to fellowships, do you typically send out everything to all programs (e.g., all letters, transcripts, etc), or only what they specifically request? What if a programs website doesn't clearly say? To you ask?

Thanks,
The captain

Are you applying through ERAS?

 

[dragonfly99]

I sent everything to all the programs, except for my transcripts from med school, which I sent only to places that asked. This was because my med school grades were just OK. I figured they wouldn't necessarily help me. My USMLE scores were pretty good, so I figured if the program didn't specifically say they don't want them, then it won't hurt to send them. I think you shouldn't agonize over this too much...as long as you DO send the minimum they ask for.