LOR protocol

[chemist157]

Do attendings usually give you the letter and you turn it into the dean's office or do they mail it directly (i.e. provide them with an addressed stamped envelope)?

thanks

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

Do attendings usually give you the letter and you turn it into the dean's office or do they mail it directly (i.e. provide them with an addressed stamped envelope)?

thanks

Our academic affairs dean provides letter writers (or provides us to give to our letter-writers) a cover letter and envelope, complete with our information and standardizing instructions. The exact procedure probably varies by location, but I would think it rare for an LOR to be mailed directly to a program as these things have to go through ERAS along with the rest of your application.

 

[Med_equality]

from my own experience, usually the attending/attendings writing the letter will sit down with you (hopefully there will be time for this, but if not don't sweat it) and go over with you the things he/she would like to address in the letter. They'll also probably ask other team members you worked with such as senior and junior residents, nurses, research members, etc. At the meeting with your attending is the time they ask about what you thought you brought to the team. Also, they'll ask you to give them the contact information of your clinical education office or whatever office holds your letters and any other points of contact that the letter may need to go. They write the letter when they get a moment, usually pass it off to the office manager to be copied, put in your file at the hospital/office and the original is enclosed in a sealed envelope and mailed off to your school's clinical ed office. Residencies look higher upon letters that have been sealed from your eyes rather than ones the attendings may write and then hand over to you to do with you please. Who is going to turn in a bad recommendation about themself! Not me!! That sucker will be hitting the trash before it hits the dean's hands. Haaa!! Seriously, though, this is how it usually goes for me. Hope this helps.

Now, back to coasting through 4th year! Ahhhh. 😛