LOR content

[KatieJune]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm wondering about how "good" most peoples LOR are. I'm frustrated because I've worked with most attendings very little - an couple hours/day for a few weeks maximum and most much less than that. It seems like we are constantly switching attendings, even on the same service. It looks like 4th year electives will be similar.

so, I feel like no one knows me THAT well (even if I've gotten good evals from them) - its just not possible in such a short time.

Is this the experience of other people?

 

[superoxide]

I'm wondering about how "good" most peoples LOR are. I'm frustrated because I've worked with most attendings very little - an couple hours/day for a few weeks maximum and most much less than that. It seems like we are constantly switching attendings, even on the same service. It looks like 4th year electives will be similar.

so, I feel like no one knows me THAT well (even if I've gotten good evals from them) - its just not possible in such a short time.

Is this the experience of other people?

I'm having the same problem. I'm an MS4 and currently doing a 4 week elective. The first two weeks I'm working with attending A, the next week with attending B and then the last week with attending C. I just finished my first week today. So far as I have received good comments from the residents I have worked with. I've been working with the same two residents every day (one PGY1 and one PGY2), who've got to know me quite well and are glad to have me around since it's been a really busy month. I'd really like a strong LOR out of this rotation. Since the residents know me best, is it OK to ask them to put in a good word to the attending regarding my performance and then request the attending to write me a LOR based on the residents' feedback? The residents are a cool, fun bunch...really laid back who seem to have a good relationship with the attending we've been working with. Is it OK to ask this of the residents? The PGY2 (soon to be PGY3) knows me the best.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

This happens all the time, and you shouldn't worry about it. Simply ask the faculty member with whom you worked the most to write a letter. 2 weeks is fine. You can certainly suggest that the 3 faculty you worked with work together to write a letter, but honestly most faculty who work with you for 2 weeks will simply write a letter on their own. They will almost certainly review your performance with the residents.

You should ask the faculty for a letter now, before they rotate off. That makes it much easier.

 

[Acherona]

I'm having the same problem. I'm an MS4 and currently doing a 4 week elective. The first two weeks I'm working with attending A, the next week with attending B and then the last week with attending C.

Yea I'm feeling very screwed with this LOR stuff. I am doing consult service for 2 weeks. I review my cases with either the senior resident or the attending which means some days I have very little interaction with the attending. The other day my only interaction was answering some pimp questions (incorrectly). I'm applying to this specialty and basically have to get an LOR from her...ugh it's gonna suck even if she agrees to write it.

 

[DrDre311]

This happens all the time, and you shouldn't worry about it. Simply ask the faculty member with whom you worked the most to write a letter. 2 weeks is fine. You can certainly suggest that the 3 faculty you worked with work together to write a letter, but honestly most faculty who work with you for 2 weeks will simply write a letter on their own. They will almost certainly review your performance with the residents.

You should ask the faculty for a letter now, before they rotate off. That makes it much easier.

Very true. Unfortunately, the way our medical education system is set up, students have to rely on people that (through no fault of their own) they don't know all that well to aid them in career advancement. If you're worried about an attending not knowing you that well (and you need a letter from them), then be proactive: work hard, volunteer to give a few short presentations on pertinent topics so you can show off your knowledge, and then set up a formal meeting with the attending later. During the meeting, ask for specialty advice, express your interest, and wrap up the meeting by humbly requesting that the attending do you the favor of writing you a letter. Attendings are, by and large, aware of time constraints placed on medical students with regard to LOR's and if they perceive a student as hard-working and knowledgeable (even if it's secondhand knowledge obtained through residents) most will be happy to write good letters.

I got a letter from the plastics chair at an institution at which I was rotating using this method, and asked the residents to put in a good word for me. I never read the letter, but was told on the trail that it was very strong and I'm sure it helped me match where I did.

 

[Anka]

Probably a little late in the game for this now, but one way to make the system work for you is to get to know faculty early on, then make sure they have contact with you over the years -- I got in touch with them as an MS1, did research with them or shadowed them regularly, and then made sure to do a clinical rotation with them later. My letters all said "I've known Anka for a few years now", and I got a lot of comments on my letters on the trail. Another thing that helped is that at my school, in certain departments, the electives are set up as preceptorships -- thus, you work with a particular faculty member in clinic, wards/units, and the OR for a month.

Anka