Letter of recommendations

[SKLBM20]

sorry if this has been asked here, but who should I ask for letters of recommendations? Obvious one GI attending that is well qualified, but who should the other be from? Is it better to have 2 letters from gi attendings? Or should I get a letter from program director and head of gme?

Appreciate any advise. I come from a community program without fellowships.

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[GastriqueGraffin]

1 PD, 1 IM, 1 GI. The 4th can be either IM or GI, whoever will write you the stronger letter. I went with 2 IM and had no problem.

 

[funkreatitis]

I did 3 GI and PD. My GI PD was vague on this question but after at least 1 GI letter, a fantastic IM letter>>> another GI letter for the sake of another GI letter. I think the ideal mix is 1 PD, 1 GI (clinical), 1 GI research mentor, final 1 great IM vs great GI with something extra to add.

One thing I thought about often, and here these are just my 2 cents, take with a grain of salt especially if the mods overrule this: If you have a big name at your institution please be sure to include that. The conventional residency wisdom was that a generic letter from a big name person is not nearly as good as a great one from a younger less known faculty, but for the 4 letter I think I would certainly gone back and gotten one from a big name who I hadn't because I didn't have a significant interaction but they would've written one. GI is a small community and I think getting even a small stamp of approval from the rockstars of academia weighs much more heavily than for residency.

 

[Gastrapathy]

Excellent advice

 

[SKLBM20]

I did 3 GI and PD. My GI PD was vague on this question but after at least 1 GI letter, a fantastic IM letter>>> another GI letter for the sake of another GI letter. I think the ideal mix is 1 PD, 1 GI (clinical), 1 GI research mentor, final 1 great IM vs great GI with something extra to add.

One thing I thought about often, and here these are just my 2 cents, take with a grain of salt especially if the mods overrule this: If you have a big name at your institution please be sure to include that. The conventional residency wisdom was that a generic letter from a big name person is not nearly as good as a great one from a younger less known faculty, but for the 4 letter I think I would certainly gone back and gotten one from a big name who I hadn't because I didn't have a significant interaction but they would've written one. GI is a small community and I think getting even a small stamp of approval from the rockstars of academia weighs much more heavily than for residency.

I am from a community program without any fellowships. We do have a well-known transplant hepatologist that I have befriended and worked with a hand full of times. Do you think it would be wise to approach him for a LOR?

 

[funkreatitis]

You know the interaction better than we do, if you think its meaningful enough where he could write you one, absolutely. I'd specify that you are looking for a strong letter and see what they say. Worst case scenario he/ she says no. Who would your other writers be if not this person?

 

[ShiShiMD]

1 Fellowship Director (GI), 1 Chief (GI), 1 PD (IM Residency Program Director). I got a fourth LOR from my mentor but never really assigned it, since all the programs I applied for asked for 2 LORs and 1 PD LOR.

But as stated you need the PD LOR, plus at least 1 GI, 2 would make it strong. 4th LOR make sure is strong.

Get the writer to talk about your clinical, research, communication, interpersonal, teamwork, cognitive and analytical skills.

 

[SKLBM20]

You know the interaction better than we do, if you think its meaningful enough where he could write you one, absolutely. I'd specify that you are looking for a strong letter and see what they say. Worst case scenario he/ she says no. Who would your other writers be if not this person?

Program director, head of GI at the hospital, ?head of GME, and probably another GI doc.

 

[SKLBM20]

1 Fellowship Director (GI), 1 Chief (GI), 1 PD (IM Residency Program Director). I got a fourth LOR from my mentor but never really assigned it, since all the programs I applied for asked for 2 LORs and 1 PD LOR.

But as stated you need the PD LOR, plus at least 1 GI, 2 would make it strong. 4th LOR make sure is strong.

Get the writer to talk about your clinical, research, communication, interpersonal, teamwork, cognitive and analytical skills.

We have a research team at our hospital, but the subspecialists are not involved So I am currently not doing any research with any of the GI faculty.

 

[funkreatitis]

Thats ok and understandable. You must have research- published or ongoing, mentions in your letter of ability and productivity would help but a track record would be more important IMO. Not sure what the head of GME at your institute does but if that is the only relationship to you it is neither required nor would it be necessary. Same for the Chief of GI and Fellowship PD (if applicable) unless they know and have worked with you and can write you strong letters there is no real intrinsic value (unless they have national reputations) to just having a letter from someone with a title.

 

[ShiShiMD]

Thats ok and understandable. You must have research- published or ongoing, mentions in your letter of ability and productivity would help but a track record would be more important IMO. Not sure what the head of GME at your institute does but if that is the only relationship to you it is neither required nor would it be necessary. Same for the Chief of GI and Fellowship PD (if applicable) unless they know and have worked with you and can write you strong letters there is no real intrinsic value (unless they have national reputations) to just having a letter from someone with a title.

well stated

 

[SKLBM20]

Thats ok and understandable. You must have research- published or ongoing, mentions in your letter of ability and productivity would help but a track record would be more important IMO. Not sure what the head of GME at your institute does but if that is the only relationship to you it is neither required nor would it be necessary. Same for the Chief of GI and Fellowship PD (if applicable) unless they know and have worked with you and can write you strong letters there is no real intrinsic value (unless they have national reputations) to just having a letter from someone with a title.

Thanks. Now you see my situation. I'm not sure who to ask. I should have no problem getting a letter recommendation from my program director and at least three of the GI attendings that I worked with closely.