Fellowship Reference Letters

[DrZeke]

Couple of questions that I'm hoping I can get some honest answers to:

1) How much does it matter who is writing your letters? Though we have a fellowship, our faculty are fairly young in my subspecialty of interest and they are not well-known. Will that hurt me?

2) If I have a strong relationship with a "big-wig" in another sub-specialty, can that help me?

3) If I plan on doing 2 fellowships (uveitis then retina) will my uveitis folks write me a letter for my retina app or will that be a poor assumption on my part?

Thanks

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[4424]

1- Letters mean everything to me when I review fellowship applications. It helps to have strong letters from people known in that subspecialty but if you don't have the option, it might hurt a little if I'm comparing 2 applicants but it really depends on the content of the letter. If it's raving how great you are and great to work with even if I don't know that person it would be very favorable for you. Personally, I care about the stuff in the between the research publications and being one of the best residents. Good surgeon? Gets along with others? Goes the extra mile? etc.

2-Sure. Most of the time, all your letters aren't from the same specialty.

3- Not sure but probably. The letters I've read in the similar situation did come from the first fellowship as well as usually one from the original residency.

Good luck.

 

[DrZeke]

1- Letters mean everything to me when I review fellowship applications. It helps to have strong letters from people known in that subspecialty but if you don't have the option, it might hurt a little if I'm comparing 2 applicants but it really depends on the content of the letter. If it's raving how great you are and great to work with even if I don't know that person it would be very favorable for you. Personally, I care about the stuff in the between the research publications and being one of the best residents. Good surgeon? Gets along with others? Goes the extra mile? etc.

2-Sure. Most of the time, all your letters aren't from the same specialty.

3- Not sure but probably. The letters I've read in the similar situation did come from the first fellowship as well as usually one from the original residency.

Good luck.

Thanks a lot for answering my questions. This is encouraging!


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[TheLesPaul]

As a recent fellowship applicant -- I think letters are singlehandedly the most important thing (assuming you also have good grades, etc). Letters lead to the text messages from the program director to your mentor where they ask what they really think about you, which probably determines most of how high they are going to rank you...

 

[DrZeke]

As a recent fellowship applicant -- I think letters are singlehandedly the most important thing (assuming you also have good grades, etc). Letters lead to the text messages from the program director to your mentor where they ask what they really think about you, which probably determines most of how high they are going to rank you...

Yeah I figured this was gonna be a big deal....

So, when you say "text messages"... That's assuming the PD to the fellowship you're applying to already knows your mentor?


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[4424]

Yeah I figured this was gonna be a big deal....

So, when you say "text messages"... That's assuming the PD to the fellowship you're applying to already knows your mentor?


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Someone will know someone who knows you personally. That's part of the fellowship committee job.