MD & DO I have a 3 week audition in late September at a fantastic program. Is that too late to get a LOR that will meaningfully impact my application?

[deleted1016251]

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I’m a student at a DO school, so I know that there is a tiny bit of a bias working against me. With that in mind, I want to prove myself as a strong applicant to the programs I apply to for residency and a Letter of Recommendation from this hospital would really go a long way for me since I’ve been told that it really matters who writes your letters.

The concern that I have is that the timeframe for this rotation is a bit too late for me to get a letter of recommendation from them. I know that residency applications get submitted on September 15. I won’t start my 3 week elective until almost the end of September however, and I probably won’t be able to ask for the letter until the end of the rotation and it will probably take a little while for the person to write it for me.

Let’s say I obtain this LOR by late October or early November, is that too late for it to have any impact on my residency application?

My worry is that by the time so get the letter, most programs have already looked at my application and made a decision about it one way or the other.

 

[bananafish94]

Unless they push back the submission deadline because of COVID, yes, it will be too late.

 

[throwaway1000000]

Yeah..unfortunately. If you want to increase your chances at that particular program, that's fine. But if you want to use that letter to boost your app, it won't work.

 

[libertyyne]

Who knows what the future will hold with all this uncertainty? Traditionally it would be too late.

 

[Dr. Death]

Yes