Letters of Rec for Neuro

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IonClaws

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Hello -

I'm a little over halfway done with M3 year and am pretty sure I want to become a neurologist. In terms of applying, I know I need 3 letters, and want 2 of them to be from neurologists.

My school, like most, requires a sub-I, however there are none available for neurology. I thought about doing IM and getting a letter from that; however, there is a neurosurgery sub-I available and the attending for it writes very well based on his eval of me.

Would it be odd to have 2 letters from neurologists and 1 from a neurosurgeon (none from internists)? I know neuro is a branch of IM but I don't really like IM enough to do a sub-I for it.

Thanks!

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That should be fine. When I applied, I had 2 neuro letters and 1 letter from a non-neuro research mentor.

Historically, neurology was part of IM departments, but nowadays, almost all neuro departments are independent of IM. In fact, neurology may be part of a broader "neuroscience institute" that includes neurosurgery, psychiatry, PM&R, and neuroradiology.
 
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Just don't forget that you're also applying for prelim programs, and granted most of them are fine with the fact that you're not going to be an internist, prelim spots can get competitive since you're up against derm, ophtho, rad onc etc. If they don't have a good basis for judging your internal medicine skills, it can set you back.
 
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Just don't forget that you're also applying for prelim programs, and granted most of them are fine with the fact that you're not going to be an internist, prelim spots can get competitive since you're up against derm, ophtho, rad onc etc. If they don't have a good basis for judging your internal medicine skills, it can set you back.

Not necessarily. One does have the option of applying exclusively to categorical neuro programs, and since those are becoming the majority, one can have a full, safe rank list by doing that. I know quite a few people who did that.

I did a mix when I applied last year, but most of mine, including the top several (and by extension, the one I got into), ended up being categorical programs. The advanced ones I did do all had the "Med prelim-neurology" option too.

That said, having a strong general IM letter is a smart thing to do whichever programs you choose.
 
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I think it depends upon what you're thinking you'll want to portray with your whole application when you apply. Remember that these letters are ideally supposed to be a representation of you and what you'd bring to the table in a residency. If you think the neurosurgeon vs IM letter could either emphasize a strong positive quality you have or show a different quality that won't otherwise be illustrated in your app then do that one. For example, I got an IM letter because I felt that the person I worked with really appreciated my interested in connecting with patients and I felt that was a strong/important quality that i possess as a future physician.

This being said you can always get letters from both and decide later which person you think could represent you best. Also you can submit more than 3 letters!


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I only had 1 letter for a neurologist (although he was our PD) and 1 from IM and FM. The quality and content of the letter is much more important than the writer's speciality.
 
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I would encourage a medicine subI and letter. Both would be very helpful for stand alone or linked prelims. I had one or two programs specifically request one medicine letter, if I recall correctly.


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