Letters from a guy without a home program..

[Downbytheicu]

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Hey all.
I'm a third year with a question about letters when I don't have a home program. We don't even have a home 4th year elective anymore. So I know I have to do 1-2 aways just to get my feet wet and get a letter. My question is about the other 2 letters, which I have typically read should be from medicine and/or surgery attendings. I did well in medicine, and haven't done surgery yet, so I can still try to get letters from them, but they just don't know me as well as others. However, I have had attendings from Peds and FP approach me and offer to help me get into whatever specialty I decide to pursue. I think that they know me well, have a high opinion of me, and one of them is the clerkship coordinator for FP at our school. I suppose my question boils down to how strict is the advice to have a letter from a medicine and/or surgery attending vs. letters from peds and/or FP (assuming that those are strong letters)? Thoughts?

 

[200UL]

I am a fan of two ophtho letters and another letter from another specialty. I do not feel it must be from medicine or surgery, but these are the most common sources.

If I were you, I would still attempt to get two ophtho letters.
One ophtho and one research and one "core" rotation would also be a possibility.

As long as the non-ophtho letter is strong, I believe it could come from IM, peds, surgery, FP, gyn...

 

[Downbytheicu]

Thanks for the response. I'll definitely try to shoot for two ophtho letters and only use one non-ophtho letter.. though there are so many stinkin' matches (just 2 really) to apply to, I'll probably have to get 2-3 non ophtho letters anyway.
Thanks!

 

[speyeder]

I am a fan of two ophtho letters and another letter from another specialty. I do not feel it must be from medicine or surgery, but these are the most common sources.

If I were you, I would still attempt to get two ophtho letters.
One ophtho and one research and one "core" rotation would also be a possibility.

As long as the non-ophtho letter is strong, I believe it could come from IM, peds, surgery, FP, gyn...

I agree wholeheartedly with the advice 200UL gave. Ophtho letters count the most and the more you have, the better. As for your non-ophtho letter, opt for the strongest one from an attending who knows you well, regardless of what rotation it's from. Nothing is worse than a generic letter that provides a lukewarm endorsement of you.