how long do rec writers generally take?

[peroxidase]

Generally how much earlier should you ask a rec writer for a letter?

2 weeks? 3 weeks? what is a reasonable amount of time?

 

[shemarty]

I asked one of my LOR writers over a year ago after my 3rd year rotation, so she could start drafting it then. (Then I took a year off for research.) When I finished my PS and app last month, I sent that to her, and she had the letter done less than 2 weeks later, but she probably had it already mostly written.

I just asked another attending for a letter 2 days ago and I gave him Aug 1st, or 7th if 1st wasn't possible, as a deadline. I think that's probably not enough time.

I asked another writer in March, sent him my PS/app draft in early July with Aug 1st as a deadline, and he hasn't finished it yet.

So it just depends on how busy they are!

 

[airplanes]

To be reasonable, allow at least one month.

No one likes to be rushed.

 

[shemarty]

Yea, I agree. I had to rush one of mine because I'm on my ophtho rotation right now, and I wanted to wait till the end of the rotation to ask an attending for a letter.