LOR from a PhD?

[mrdowntoearth]

So far I assume PDs expect to get LORs from MDs or DOs that you rotate with. I had a good research exp with a PhD during my 1st and 2nd year in med school and was able to have poster presentation. Is an LOR from a PhD acceptable?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Dr Serenity]

Based on what I've heard, it's best to try to get LORs from attendings who've seen you in a clinical setting, since residency programs are wanting some sort of idea how you'll do in the wards, ORs, and/or clinics. PIs who have not seen you in a clinical setting likely won't be able to provide the program directors much of an idea of how you'll do clinically. Hope this helps.

 

[randomedstudent]

So far I assume PDs expect to get LORs from MDs or DOs that you rotate with. I had a good research exp with a PhD during my 1st and 2nd year in med school and was able to have poster presentation. Is an LOR from a PhD acceptable?

I would think the only situation where this might be okay is if you were applying specifically to research track programs (ie. the 7 year NIH tracks for general surgery). If not, I personally wouldn't do it.

 

[fantasty]

Unless you are going into a research-oriented residency or talk about how academic medicine is your life. For mudphuders, it's essentially a given that you get one letter from your PI. If research was a big part of your medical school, I don't think it would hurt to have one letter (especially if the person knows you well). Our school has a research distinction track, but I'm not sure how many of those in the track use PI letters, though.

 

[mdphd2b]

So far I assume PDs expect to get LORs from MDs or DOs that you rotate with. I had a good research exp with a PhD during my 1st and 2nd year in med school and was able to have poster presentation. Is an LOR from a PhD acceptable?

Hey there downtoearth,

I'm a mud-phud at Pitt, and based on many discussions w/ our MSTP alums, advisors, and senior students, we were told it's a "red flag" if you don't include your thesis advisor's LOR for ERAS, even though it's not really a clinical LOR. Just make sure the other 3 LORs are more clinical in nature.

 

[starry sky]

Hey there downtoearth,

I'm a mud-phud at Pitt, and based on many discussions w/ our MSTP alums, advisors, and senior students, we were told it's a "red flag" if you don't include your thesis advisor's LOR for ERAS, even though it's not really a clinical LOR. Just make sure the other 3 LORs are more clinical in nature.

I agree that submitting one letter written by your PhD research mentor would be good if a) your research is at least somewhat related to the field to which you are applying b) you plan to continue research while in residency and/or you are applying to research-oriented residency programs and c) you can send it as an optional fourth letter, i.e. not one of your three clinical letters. Just my two cents.

 

[PeeWee137]

im applying for the match in 2009. i was selected as a "pre-doctoral academic medicine fellow" at my school, meaning that i am staying an extra year in med school to teach and do research. i will also be getting a masters from this program. im applying for psych and my research is geared towards psychiatry/neuroscience. should i get a LOR from the chairman of the dept of neuroscience that i am working in? hes a phd. he isnt my direct research supervisor, but he knows me very well. or should i get a letter from my research supervisor, also a phd and a professor?
and just to get things straight - eras allows 4 LOR's? so would it be ok to submit 3 clinical letters and one research letter?

thanks everyone. good luck on the 08 match!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

im applying for the match in 2009. i was selected as a "pre-doctoral academic medicine fellow" at my school, meaning that i am staying an extra year in med school to teach and do research. i will also be getting a masters from this program. im applying for psych and my research is geared towards psychiatry/neuroscience. should i get a LOR from the chairman of the dept of neuroscience that i am working in? hes a phd. he isnt my direct research supervisor, but he knows me very well. or should i get a letter from my research supervisor, also a phd and a professor?
and just to get things straight - eras allows 4 LOR's? so would it be ok to submit 3 clinical letters and one research letter?

thanks everyone. good luck on the 08 match!

Yes - 4 letters, advice is only 1 research. The other three should be 1) Department letter, 2) Letter from your third year rotation in your chosen field, 3) Letter from your Sub I.

 

[Shalom77]

I agree.

However, for the 1 research letter I got one from a research mentor that was a clinical faculty person, not my main dissertation advisor (the chair of my committee). So I think the research letter can come from whoever you think will write the best letter for residency. I doubt residency programs knew he wasn't my official dissertation supervisor.

I chose my clinical research mentor in part because he's more senior, more familiar with how to write a good letter for a clinical position (having been on the other side as someone who has evaluated candidates) and I wrote a paper with him which I haven't done yet with my chair so I thought he probably knew my work a little better.

My case is a little different because the both of them mentor me equally but about different aspects of my dissertation. But I think picking the person who knows your work the best, or who you think would write the best letter is fine.

I don't know if your school does this - but my med school would look at our letters and tell us which one they thought was stronger (without showing us the letter - if we waived our rights). So if your med school does something like this you could ask both for a letter and then let your med school advisor advise as to which they think is the better letter. This strategy also gives you a back-up in case one of them doesn't write the letter in a timely fashion or something else occurs.

 

[PeeWee137]

thanks everyone. im lucky in that the department i work in is really small, so my chairman and research supervisor know me equally well, and were both published on my papers. im confident that both would write me an excellent letter, so i guess ill just ask the more senior person. thanks again!!!

 

[PeeWee137]

now a question about finalizing LOR's --

i have my "4th" research letter ready to go, 2 clinical letters finalized and already in the post office, and i will get my Sub-I letter in the next couple of weeks.

Should I wait to finalize my sub-i letter as LOR 3, and then finalize my research letter as LOR 4? or can i just finalize the research letter now, but not assign it to any programs until my sub-i letter is in? does any of this matter???

thanks

 

[Winged Scapula]

now a question about finalizing LOR's --

i have my "4th" research letter ready to go, 2 clinical letters finalized and already in the post office, and i will get my Sub-I letter in the next couple of weeks.

Should I wait to finalize my sub-i letter as LOR 3, and then finalize my research letter as LOR 4? or can i just finalize the research letter now, but not assign it to any programs until my sub-i letter is in? does any of this matter???

thanks

It doesn't matter. If you are using the research letter, you can assign it now or wait. If a program filters for a complete application and you only have two letters assigned, they won't see your app until you have the minimum number they require; that would be the major drawback of not assigning your research letter.