letters of recommendation question

[upontherocks]

---

Members do not see this ad.

In short, I graduated from medical school in 2020 and applying to psychiatry (and FM dual apply) through ERAS this upcoming cycle after serving in the military for 5 years as a general medical officer (GMO, doing primary care mainly).

I work with a psychiatrist in the clinic (I refer patients that I can't manage myself) who is willing to write me a letter (shared patients, reviews my workup, same meetings, etc), and my supervisor is FM also willing to write a letter.

I haven't worked with any other psychiatrists. My rotations from school, the attending wrote me a letter years ago, I'm not sure if they've retired or not, but might be able to request a letter. Otherwise I had an old supervisor a few years ago who was psychiatrist who I might be able to request a letter.

So my question now is how do I approach this letters of rec. I know other IM and FM who would write me a letter. I've also worked with psychologists and psych NP recently who are supportive of my goal, and I've heard other people say I should ask for a letter but I feel that's not a good idea.

 

[splik]

One psychiatrist letter will more than suffice for most programs. The other two should be whoever knows you best and can write the strongest letters. Try to have letter writers affiliated with a residency program if possible as other letter will carry much less weight.

Absolutely no NP letters. Worse than useless in this context. Psychologist is okay for a 4th letter but 3 physician letters -doesn’t matter the specialty though IM, peds, neuro, EM and FM May be especially good.

 

[ObsequiousAplomb]

Who was your superior as a GMO? If they are an MD that sounds to me like it would be a good letter regardless of specialty. This could be complicated by having bad multiple superiors over the years.

The psychiatrist you worked with as a GMO sounds like an excellent letter source, since they presumably knew you much more than any 4, 6, 8, or 12 week rotation supervisor in medical school 6-8 years ago. I would ask them to specify that they have known and worked with you for X number of years in the letter.

I know it was recommended that the letter writers be affiliated with a residency, but I imagine it would be hard to have interacted with them while on a GMO billet. Maybe if one of the doctors you worked with was once a program director / affiliated with a military residency?

 

[comp1]

Your letters and general application are going to be pretty different from the typical graduating medical student, but it sounds like you're actually pretty well positioned here.

 

[Chimed]

In short, I graduated from medical school in 2020 and applying to psychiatry (and FM dual apply) through ERAS this upcoming cycle after serving in the military for 5 years as a general medical officer (GMO, doing primary care mainly).

I work with a psychiatrist in the clinic (I refer patients that I can't manage myself) who is willing to write me a letter (shared patients, reviews my workup, same meetings, etc), and my supervisor is FM also willing to write a letter.

I haven't worked with any other psychiatrists. My rotations from school, the attending wrote me a letter years ago, I'm not sure if they've retired or not, but might be able to request a letter. Otherwise I had an old supervisor a few years ago who was psychiatrist who I might be able to request a letter.

So my question now is how do I approach this letters of rec. I know other IM and FM who would write me a letter. I've also worked with psychologists and psych NP recently who are supportive of my goal, and I've heard other people say I should ask for a letter but I feel that's not a good idea.

No, for the NP. Not sure about the psychologist...I had a psychologist write me a letter, but this was from a well-known researcher that I worked with on some research projects, so there was a specific reason I asked this person. If the psychologist you worked with has an academic appointment and some clout, it might be helpful if it's extremely positive and speaks to you ability to work with psychiatric patients. But bottom line is you want someone who can comment on your clinical skills, work ethic, ability to interact with patients, and are, of course, positive.😉

 

[upontherocks]

Following up on this, I ended up working with another psychiatrist who will write me a letter, so theres a psych MD, psych DO, and FM DO for letters, all non-academic.

Anyways I spoke with one of my school advisors who said I should get a letter from my TY PD instead of my supervisor FM, since it would talk about my performanceas an intern. Only concerns I have is that it would be old, and there's a new PD (who I actually did inpatient medicine blocks with back then, doubt if they'd remember me on a personal level like that). The old PD is still a faculty member but I've been having little luck getting in touch with them for a lot of reasons. Wondering what take people in here have for this, if a PD letter is good/expected, and should it be the current PD or the former one.

Also, my current writers, who are not academic, in addition to my CV and PS, have asked me what I want them to talk about in their letters. What would be good things to include?

 

[mistafab]

Also, my current writers, who are not academic, in addition to my CV and PS, have asked me what I want them to talk about in their letters. What would be good things to include?

A good place to start is to review the 2025-2026 PSYCHIATRY STANDARDIZED LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION template. it's free to download and can provide your writers with some areas to talk about.

Good luck - you're in a better position than you think. Lots of great experience you have under your belt that you don't realize. Serving in the military is also a PLUS, not a minus. 5 years of working your tail off is something any program will be happy to have.