LOR from non-clinician

[EternalMD]

I have the option of getting one from someone on my public health elective however this individual is not a physician. The letter will probably be a good one compared to one i can get from an anesthesia rotation where i spent less than a week working with the same attending. Is it looked down on by getting letters from non-clinicians or given less importance?

I already have one from the chair and a family doc and plan on getting one from an away rotation in a month. I can get another letter from another physician but havent had contact with him in quite some time though (plus i'm told he just says to write your own). Any thoughts?

(1 chair anes, 1 anes away, 1 FP with 4th as a choice between non-clinician and clinician but have to write my own)

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[NotAProgDirector]

What field are you applying to, and what is this person's title/role?

 

[EternalMD]

I'm going for anesthesia. He's the coordinator of public health and i believe he also runs the statistics for the Trauma Surgery department

 

[Winged Scapula]

IMHO, LORs are to be from people who can evaluate how good of a resident and physician you will be. Thus, the best letters are from clinicians who are in such a position to evaluate this.

 

[dragonfly99]

I have used a letter from an MD who does research and clinical work (but who never worked w/me clinically) that I knew would be a good letter. However, he works in the residency and fellowship area I was interested in...
I think an MD letter might be best, IF it is a decent letter. "Write your own letter" isn't necessarily a bad letter. A glowing rec. from this public health/trauma statistics person might be more helpful (as a 4th letter...I wouldn't use it as one of your main 3) than a so/so letter from a doc who doesn't know you well, though. It's tough to say...it might depend on the program. A letter from someone who really, really likes you can make a difference though, IMHO.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I'm going for anesthesia. He's the coordinator of public health and i believe he also runs the statistics for the Trauma Surgery department

Anesthesia and Public Health don't have a lot in common, last I checked. So, maybe not such a great idea. Then again, LOR's really aren;t that helpful. Even people who are described in the bottom 5-10% of their class in their dean's letter, and have failed the USMLE's multiple times, are often described as the "best medical student I've ever worked with" in their letters. So, perhaps an interesting letter like this would make your application stand out.

If you send it, you should have 3 clinical letters also.

 

[USMELL]

Anesthesia and Public Health don't have a lot in common, last I checked. So, maybe not such a great idea. Then again, LOR's really aren;t that helpful. Even people who are described in the bottom 5-10% of their class in their dean's letter, and have failed the USMLE's multiple times, are often described as the "best medical student I've ever worked with" in their letters. So, perhaps an interesting letter like this would make your application stand out.

If you send it, you should have 3 clinical letters also.

the title of my LoR writer does not fit in the box, I have had to abbreviate it an now it looks weird, can I just put is title without the department, or is the department the most important?

 

[Winged Scapula]

the title of my LoR writer does not fit in the box, I have had to abbreviate it an now it looks weird, can I just put is title without the department, or is the department the most important?

What are you trying to fit in?

Things like Asst Prof, Anesth would be acceptable abbreviations and commonly understood.

 

[USMELL]

What are you trying to fit in?

Things like Asst Prof, Anesth would be acceptable abbreviations and commonly understood.

on ERAS, the format says LoR Author/ Department: so can I just remove the Department format, and write Dr. J Doe, Director of Medicine or do I have to write Dr. J Doe/ Department: Medicine

 

[NotAProgDirector]

on ERAS, the format says LoR Author/ Department: so can I just remove the Department format, and write Dr. J Doe, Director of Medicine or do I have to write Dr. J Doe/ Department: Medicine

Most people write "Dr. J Doe, Assoc Prof, Medicine" Or something like that. You don't need the word "Department"

 

[USMELL]

Most people write "Dr. J Doe, Assoc Prof, Medicine" Or something like that. You don't need the word "Department"

thanks for all your help

 

[usnavdoc]

IMHO, LORs are to be from people who can evaluate how good of a resident and physician you will be. Thus, the best letters are from clinicians who are in such a position to evaluate this.

I dont 100% agree with this statement. There are many qualities that go to the core of what makes a good resident/physician. These qualities can be evaluted by anyone who has been in a position to observe you in some work related capacity. For example, If you are a MD/PHD candidate and get one of your letters by a PhD who you have been in the lab with or whatever.

In my opinion and from my personal experience this is completely acceptable. I had a LOR from one of my comanding officers from my experience in afghanistan. Every interview I had they commented on this as a positive.

Now that being said I would not have more than one LOR in that fashion.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I dont 100% agree with this statement. There are many qualities that go to the core of what makes a good resident/physician. These qualities can be evaluted by anyone who has been in a position to observe you in some work related capacity.

This is why things are often generalities and not hard and fast rules. However, my statement is the conventional wisdom.

For example, If you are a MD/PHD candidate and get one of your letters by a PhD who you have been in the lab with or whatever.

MD/PhD is an exception. You *must* have a letter from your lab supervisor, or it will be seen as a major red flag. This is not true for anyone else.

In my opinion and from my personal experience this is completely acceptable. I had a LOR from one of my comanding officers from my experience in afghanistan. Every interview I had they commented on this as a positive.

Now that being said I would not have more than one LOR in that fashion.

Again, I think an experience in Afghanistan is sufficiently unusual and a measure of your leadership capability and is much more useful than a letter from a non-physician, public health worker (the OP's situation). Letters from military experience are often well received (especially in surgery where we see the similarities).

 

[HPsiEPsi]

Hello, Uber-docs of SDN,

I'm applying to Medicine, broadly. Of the 4 LOR's allowed for each program in ERAS, two have already been downloaded - one from a research prof, the other a outpatient clinical preceptor. In your opinion, which combination of remaining letters would be better:

2 from attendings in ward-based medicine clerkships, OR
1 from attending and 1 from chair/associate dean of medicine at my school.

I'm expecting positive content in all the letters, but would like to know which combo gives greater leverage.

Thanks.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Hello, Uber-docs of SDN,

I'm applying to Medicine, broadly. Of the 4 LOR's allowed for each program in ERAS, two have already been downloaded - one from a research prof, the other a outpatient clinical preceptor. In your opinion, which combination of remaining letters would be better:

2 from attendings in ward-based medicine clerkships, OR
1 from attending and 1 from chair/associate dean of medicine at my school.

I'm expecting positive content in all the letters, but would like to know which combo gives greater leverage.

Thanks.

Probably the latter assuming the "attending" is IM, although don't expect it to make a significant difference. Do you have a letter from your Sub-I?

 

[HPsiEPsi]

Probably the latter assuming the "attending" is IM, although don't expect it to make a significant difference. Do you have a letter from your Sub-I?

No, those clerkships are scheduled later. Would be nice though.