Letters of rec

[ollaguna]

This question is for the lucky ones which are done with the match...

Should we submit all SLOR from EM electives (say if we did 2 electives)? Or stick to the best one and give others from SX or IM? OB/Gyn? Which are good fields to pick if all the letters are equally well written?

Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[anonymousEM]

Only get SLORs from EM attendings and preferably ones well known to the PDs where you're applying. IM or SX letters are useful if they're well written, but most places are more interested in good grades in those rotations and excellent letters from your EM clerkship(s). If you can't be ranked "top 10%" or whatever the SLOR form says, or if the person writing it is a young attending, consider having that person not do a SLOR since it asks how many they've written...if you're top 10% in a series of 2 it may not carry so much weight...you'd rather have a narrative about those excellent clinical skills you displayed. In the end, though, the bottom line is to have the people that write your letter say "excellent" things about you, which should happen if you're a good, hard working person on your rotations. If you don't have a school with some sort of previewing service to alert you of less-than stellar letters, though, consider what some people have done staggering your letters so that not all of your programs would receive the same set of letters so you won't ruin your chances with a fluke mediocore letter.

 

[fauci]

It's been said many times before on this forum, but its worth repeating:

-SLORs from EM attendings carry a ton of weight

-Any letter must be outstanding (dont settle for just "good"). Ask "do you feel you know me well enough to write me ann outstanding letter?"

-Think very hard about sending a letter from other specialties. It won't hurt (assuming its outstanding). It seems, though, that even the best letter from famous non-EM faculty might not matter that much. I had alot of comments in my interviews about my EM letters, however.

 

[ollaguna]

Cool...thanks for the info...