How many LORs?

[lakerfan]

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Dear all,

I am applying to IM this fall...just wanted some input as to how many LORs to send to each program. The vast majority of programs require 3 LORs (one from the chairman and 2 others) but do not specify on their sites whether they accept more than 3. Do I have to ask each program whether it is okay to send more (no more than one more)?

I have asked for 4 letters from faculty because one of the programs I am looking at requires that many. Basically, will a fourth letter be thrown away by programs and only 3 be read? Some people (by no means experts) have told me that 4 might be overkill if the program only wants 3.

I would appreciate any input on this subject. Thanks in advance.

LF

 

[mig26x]

this was discuss last year, and the majority expressed that if the program says 3, just send 3.

 

[gutonc]

this was discuss last year, and the majority expressed that if the program says 3, just send 3.

Unless you have a good reason for sending a 4th. The Chairman's letter is, IMHO generally useless, particularly if you come from a large program where >100 people are applying in IM and only about 3 people/yr have a chance to actually work with him/her on their 1 attending month. So in my case, since I was applying for research residencies, I sent 3 others, one from my Sub-I, one from my H-O rotation and one from my PhD mentor. All the ones you send will get added to your file. How many actually get read is a different story altogether.

BE (now PE)

 

[Major0909]

What do you guys think about and/or have heard about requesting a letter from an "influential" person in the field and just carrying it around with you during interviews to show off if it's too late to submit to ERAS (ex: away in Oct/Nov)