Letters of Recommendation for FM application

[backpackpalsy]

What types of LOR look best? At this rate I won't have more than one letter from an FM doc in time for ERAS.

I worked with one FM doc throughout my FM rotation and got a great LOR from him already uploaded to ERAS. I also have a med/peds doc who I worked with on my pediatrics rotation currently writing a second LOR. I have 2 FM electives scheduled in addiction medicine and cardiology, but just learned that I mostly work with addiction med counselors and psychologists in the former and a resident in the latter. Are letters from counselors/psychologists/residents frowned upon? I would be able to get a letter from an EM doc I worked with longitudinally and another med/peds doctor, but was really hoping to get letters from FM docs in these electives.

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[Bobbbyyyy]

Suppose I use 1 FM + 3 IM letters, will that look like FM is a backup?
or is it better to go with 1FM + 2 IM letters?
lol

PS. still working on getting the 2nd FM letter to make the ratio a bit better, how critical are FM PDs of recieving more IM letters than FM letters?

 

[Ironheme]

You can always ask the letter writers (regardless of specialty) to tailor the letter to FM. Some of the best LoRs I read were written by non-FM docs that said things like 'While I would love for applicant X to go into my specialty, they made it clear from the start that their interest was in FM. They had excellent Z skills that I saw firsthand, that would be a perfect match for FM. They'd be a tremendous asset...'

Some LoRs even wrote why the applicant initially thought a different specialty but committed to FM by the end after realizing it wasn't for them.

The ones I didn't care for were getting the gender of the applicant wrong, letters reading like a preformed template, or 'Applicant X would be a excellent Ob/gyn physician.'

The really bad ones were 'So and so asked me to write this letter. I write this in support of the candidate. They showed up on time. I worked with them from June 20xx to July 20xx. They would be a good fit for whatever field they decide to apply. Signed XX'