Letters of Recommendation per Program

[psgrim]

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Different residency programs require letters from different faculty members or require a different number of letters.


Is there a centralized list that states exactly what letter kind of letters of recommendation each residency program wants?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You are likely overthinking this.

All programs probably require 3 letters.

I HIGHLY doubt any program would fault you for submitting 4 letters. If so, is that where you really want to be?

So, submit 4 letters to all programs.

If your field includes a "department letter", like IM or EM (SLOR), then always submit that.

If IMG applying to Cali, submit the PTAL as one of your letters.

If you have a SubI letter, submit that as one of the four.

 

[CaliAtenza]

Does the PTAL in Cali take place of the 3rd letter for all their programs? The reason is that I have 3 good IM letters and I also wanted to throw in my letter from my research mentor as my 4th. But it seems that I have to send in the PTAL instead...

 

[bonoz]

You are likely overthinking this.

All programs probably require 3 letters.

I HIGHLY doubt any program would fault you for submitting 4 letters. If so, is that where you really want to be?

So, submit 4 letters to all programs.

If your field includes a "department letter", like IM or EM (SLOR), then always submit that.

If IMG applying to Cali, submit the PTAL as one of your letters.

If you have a SubI letter, submit that as one of the four.

Thanks for all your assistance. Can your application get reviewed if you don't have a department letter? I'm an IMG and they did things differently. All my letters are from my USCEs/research + MSPE. I hope that's okay.

 

[withoutface123]

I have a similar question. I'm going into psychiatry, and most programs require 3 letters, with some requiring one letter to be a non-psych specialty. I have three letters in, all from psychiatrists, and am awaiting my fourth one from my non-psych personnel. Would it be gauche to upload all three of the psych letters to all my programs right now? In other words, would the programs requiring a non-psych letter be like "Where's his non-psych letter" and pass on me?

 

[CaliAtenza]

Well I guess I answered my own question. California programs consider the PTAL separate now, and not as part of the LORs. Its possible to send 4 LORs to CA programs.