How important are Radiology letters when applying?

[CidHighwind]

Decided on rads last minute but don’t know any radiologists that can write me a letter. I have strong LOR from other specialties. Are letters from radiologists really important like they are for some other specialties?

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[Iben_Sina]

Hey man,

Same situation as you, decided on Rad last minute and had very strong LORs from other specialities. Applied Rad last year and without Rad LORs and matched my #2 choice high tier academic program.

However 245s usmles, top 10% of my class, honors in most clinical rotation and 2 year basic science pathology research before med school.

Good luck!

 

[CidHighwind]

Did well on Steps (240s/250s), not so well in class (didn’t fail anything though), have a lot of ECs, leadership, several years of research including some co-author publications and presentations at national conferences. Good to know it can be done though.

 

[NDcienporciento100]

Decided on rads last minute but don’t know any radiologists that can write me a letter. I have strong LOR from other specialties. Are letters from radiologists really important like they are for some other specialties?

Extremely important!

 

[Gadofosveset]

There are two things important about a radiology letter:

1) I know the letter writer personally or by reputation
2) The letter is intelligent, has details, and says great things about you.

I differ a little on the value of radiology letters vs clinician letters.

An average letter from a radiologist I don't know is worthless. In that situation prioritize a great letter from a clinician who knows you.
Strong clinician letters are quite valuable to me. He or she has seen you performing skills that you should know and has a sense of your work ethic and interpersonal skills. A letter from a radiologist you did research with attesting to your work ethic is valuable. A letter from a radiologist talking about how great a radiologist you are is basically bogus. I will consider it if I know and respect the radiologist writing it, but not otherwise. A letter from a radiologist talking about how great a radiologist you will be is not that useful to me since it's almost always well-meaning empty speculation. I want a witness describing good personal qualities in action, not a bunch of empty praise.

 

[Gadofosveset]

I should qualify this a little bit.
It depends on what role you want your letters to play in your application.

Radiology letters end up sounding so similar that after some experience you find that most don't really help you differentiate between applicants. Honestly, if I'm reading the first couple of sentences of a letter and it sounds like the typical hyperbolic fluff, and if there are no coded warnings, then it registers in my mind as "No red flag here". This can be totally ok if you want to lean heavily on other parts of your application.

If you're considering using your letters as a prominent part of your application or to shore up a perceived deficiency, then you need a witness describing your positive character qualities in action in discrete events.

 

[messengers]

Just curious on the other extreme, what about applications with all three letters from rads?

 

[Bin Rushd]

Just curious on the other extreme, what about applications with all three letters from rads?

Same Question.

I have 3 Rads letters, 1 IM, and 1 Surgery. And to be honest, I think all 3 Rads letters are the strongest of the group. I was thinking as far as letters from Core faculty goes, they would be able to see all of their comments in my Dean's Letter......

Thoughts?

@RadiologyPD

 

[RadiologyPD]

Sounds good. I prefer candidates send their best letters.