LOR from just 1 week?

[RadRum02]

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I have two letters from docs who know me very well, but neither of them is in radiology. I'm going to have a chance to rotate with a radiologist who is well-known and a great teacher who engages students who read with him. The problem is I only have one week to read with him based on our schedules... Is it appropriate to ask him for a letter after just 1 week?

 

[shocker]

Work hard and make the best out of the week, i.e. be very interested. At the end of the week if you feel that everything went well ask the person if they could write you a strong letter. Feel them out from the reply and take it or leave it. Big names mean something and if they said they worked with you and you did well it will be helpful. Especially since your other two should be from people who know you well, one that may be a little shorter wouldn't hurt.

Only my opinion.

 

[AD2020]

Work hard and make the best out of the week, i.e. be very interested. At the end of the week if you feel that everything went well ask the person if they could write you a strong letter. Feel them out from the reply and take it or leave it. Big names mean something and if they said they worked with you and you did well it will be helpful. Especially since your other two should be from people who know you well, one that may be a little shorter wouldn't hurt.

I agree. I see myself in a similar situation, and I think the tough part is asking if the letter will be good without being too in-your-face. Anyone have advice on this?

 

[Mariah246]

Shake the person's hand as you're asking if they could write you a strong letter.

Be sure 10+ Benjamin's are neatly folded in the palm of your shaking hand.

Congratulations, letter secured!

 

[fun8stuff]

I agree. I see myself in a similar situation, and I think the tough part is asking if the letter will be good without being too in-your-face. Anyone have advice on this?

...and to think I felt weird asking for a LOR after working with people for 1 month.

 

[hans19]

Shake the person's hand as you're asking if they could write you a strong letter.

Be sure 10+ Benjamin's are neatly folded in the palm of your shaking hand.

Congratulations, letter secured!

Mariah I like your style 👍

Better yet, while shaking hands, conspicuously drop a fat envelope, telling him "by the way, I think you dropped something..."


If declines you the letter, on the last day, leave the decapitated head of a thoroughbread in the gantry of his precious new 3T magnet.

It works in the movies.

If you impress him in 1 week, he may write you a letter. But don't get your hopes up. Whats the worst that could happen? He'll tell you he doesn't know you well enough to write you a strong letter. Let me put it this way, I think you'd have better chances proposing to a girl after dating her for 1 week.

But hey, anythings possible.

 

[RadRum02]

Let me put it this way, I think you'd have better chances proposing to a girl after dating her for 1 week.

But hey, anythings possible.

Wow. I hope this guy doesn't expect anything after he writes my letter... (that is, if he answers affirmatively to my proposal).

Our PD meets with each rads applicant from my school and gets the whole CV, etc and writes each of us a letter. This could count as my third, after my two non-rads letters. What do you think is preferable - using the PD letter or a letter from this well-known guy who I will work with for 1 week?

 

[shocker]

Most faculty that have interaction with medical students are accustomed to people asking for letters, they had to do it at one point as well. Work hard during your week, get to know the person, and then ask for a letter. What is the big deal? I must reiterate that you qualify your statement by saying STRONG letter. You can take it or leave it. They can write it and if you later feel that you have a better letter just don't submit the one from said letter writer... So, if you are not aware yet, your school uploads all of your LORs to ERAS and then you choose which to send to each program. So get a letter from you PD as well. Sometimes letter writers let you see the letter too.

Don't be scared to ask for a letter, it will not hurt you, unless you acted like a jacka$$ for the week.

I received one from our chair of internal medicine after working with him for about 1.5 weeks and really didn't get much time with him because it was a big team and he was always leaving for administrative duties. It ended up being an excellent letter and was mentioned multiple times.

Time isn't necessarily a problem, base it off of your perception of the interaction, if it went well then try and get a letter.

 

[AD2020]

Most faculty that have interaction with medical students are accustomed to people asking for letters, they had to do it at one point as well. Work hard during your week, get to know the person, and then ask for a letter. What is the big deal? I must reiterate that you qualify your statement by saying STRONG letter. You can take it or leave it. They can write it and if you later feel that you have a better letter just don't submit the one from said letter writer... So, if you are not aware yet, your school uploads all of your LORs to ERAS and then you choose which to send to each program. So get a letter from you PD as well. Sometimes letter writers let you see the letter too.

Don't be scared to ask for a letter, it will not hurt you, unless you acted like a jacka$$ for the week.

I received one from our chair of internal medicine after working with him for about 1.5 weeks and really didn't get much time with him because it was a big team and he was always leaving for administrative duties. It ended up being an excellent letter and was mentioned multiple times.

Time isn't necessarily a problem, base it off of your perception of the interaction, if it went well then try and get a letter.

In addition to the points listed above, you can send more than three letters if you choose, so you could send letters from both this radiologist and your PD. The PD at my school said she hates to get more than four letters, so don't get carried away.

Also, at my school, the administration strongly suggests that you waive the right to see your letters. But they do have someone that reads through the letters and will tell you if one of them is not so strong.

Good luck!