LOR Question

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Miss155

Senior Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Messages
323
Reaction score
1
If I want to turn in my application on sept. 1 but wont have my last LOR in october what do I do? Do I want till my LOR is turn in? Thanks.
 
If I want to turn in my application on sept. 1 but wont have my last LOR in october what do I do? Do I want till my LOR is turn in? Thanks.

LOR can be uploaded later ,so u need not to wait till yur LOR turns in.You can go ahead with yur application.
Good Luck.
 
I wonder whether if it is ok to apply on Sep 1, if NONE of my LORs are in my ERAS file?

I can't ask for LORs till middle or late August, so I'm afraid that they will be late...

Thanks for any input!
 
I wonder whether if it is ok to apply on Sep 1, if NONE of my LORs are in my ERAS file?

I can't ask for LORs till middle or late August, so I'm afraid that they will be late...

Thanks for any input!

There is no reason to wait until your LORs are in.

Some programs may, depending on the strength of your application, interview you without letters.

Go ahead and apply on Sep 1.
 
I need to fill the LOR's slots on ERAS, there are two spaces to fill "LoR Author Name" and "LoR Author Title / Department". How should I fill that?

eg:

LoR Author Name: John Smith, MD, FACS
LoR Author Title / Department: Associate professor, Department of Surgery, University of Somewhere.

???

It might be silly but it's really bugging me.
 
I need to fill the LOR's slots on ERAS, there are two spaces to fill "LoR Author Name" and "LoR Author Title / Department". How should I fill that?

eg:

LoR Author Name: John Smith, MD, FACS
LoR Author Title / Department: Associate professor, Department of Surgery, University of Somewhere.

???

It might be silly but it's really bugging me.

😕 What are you confused about? You've got it correct.
 
I wasn't sure if I should include the university's name as it says "Department" only.

Thanks, I guess I'm gonna include the university as well.
 
Surprisingly, the spaces are limited. It doesnt even allow for "Associate Professer, Department of Internal Medicine"
 
I made an error. Ok Its not really an error, I just didn't write associate professor on 1 of my letters. Is it really important? The other letters were by a chairman and program director so i mentioned that. Obviously if your attending is world renowned or even a chairman or prog director it matters but I would think the content of the letter would be more important than if the attending was associate or assistant.Should I reissue another slot and correct this?
 
I made an error. Ok Its not really an error, I just didn't write associate professor on 1 of my letters. Is it really important? The other letters were by a chairman and program director so i mentioned that. Obviously if your attending is world renowned or even a chairman or prog director it matters but I would think the content of the letter would be more important than if the attending was associate or assistant.Should I reissue another slot and correct this?

No. No one is going to care or notice. They'll read the letter.
 
Speaking of letters, how important is the MSPE? My school has a kind of standard one for everyone but I was told they can write additional points if I wish to. Should I just go with the standard one or have them write more positive info.

P.S IMG if it matters.
 
Last edited:
Speaking of letters, how important is the MSPE? My school has a kind of standard one for everyone but I was told they can write additional points if I wish to. Should I just go with the standard one or have them write more positive info.

P.S IMG if it matters.

This is my experience with MSPEs:

Roughly a quarter to a third of my applicants have strong enough applications that we'll offer interviews without the MSPE. We look for good overall clerkship grades with an excellent grade in our specialty, strong letters from faculty in our specialty who actually worked with the applicant and relate a positive experience, solid USMLE scores (above the mean with no failures), and a personal statement that effectively communicates something about the applicant and why they chose this field of medicine.

Roughly a quarter of my applicants will not get an interview regardless of what the MSPE says due to some other factor in their application. For IMGs a lot of the rejection has to do with multiple failures on USMLE steps or visa issues (my institution only considers IMGs who are US citizens, permanent residents, or getting J1 visas).

For everyone who falls into the middle, the MSPE is the crucial factor that sways the Selection Committee to either regret or invite the applicant. Since there's no way to know where you are going to fall on any particular program's scale, I advise getting the strongest most individualized MSPE that you can.
 
This is my experience with MSPEs:

Roughly a quarter to a third of my applicants have strong enough applications that we'll offer interviews without the MSPE. We look for good overall clerkship grades with an excellent grade in our specialty, strong letters from faculty in our specialty who actually worked with the applicant and relate a positive experience, solid USMLE scores (above the mean with no failures), and a personal statement that effectively communicates something about the applicant and why they chose this field of medicine.

Roughly a quarter of my applicants will not get an interview regardless of what the MSPE says due to some other factor in their application. For IMGs a lot of the rejection has to do with multiple failures on USMLE steps or visa issues (my institution only considers IMGs who are US citizens, permanent residents, or getting J1 visas).

For everyone who falls into the middle, the MSPE is the crucial factor that sways the Selection Committee to either regret or invite the applicant. Since there's no way to know where you are going to fall on any particular program's scale, I advise getting the strongest most individualized MSPE that you can.

Very helpful. Thank you.
 
Last edited:
I'm wondering which would look better in my MSPE "ranked among the top five per cent" or "ranked 11th in a class of 300 students"?


On a separate question, the Internist whom I asked to write me a LOR requested me to send her my Personal Statement. I want to apply to IM and Rads so I'm not sure which PS to send her. The point is that I may end up using her LOR for Rads since I may not have enough LOR's for both specialties. What should I do? I really need your input on that. Thanks.
 
I'm wondering which would look better in my MSPE "ranked among the top five per cent" or "ranked 11th in a class of 300 students"?

How about "ranked among the top 5 percent out of a class of 300"? That combines the best of both statements...although frankly, its probably a wash in terms of which one "looks better".

I think you're obsessing a tad bit over this.😀


On a separate question, the Internist whom I asked to write me a LOR requested me to send her my Personal Statement. I want to apply to IM and Rads so I'm not sure which PS to send her. The point is that I may end up using her LOR for Rads since I may not have enough LOR's for both specialties. What should I do? I really need your input on that. Thanks.

Send her the IM one.

Does she know you're also applying for Rads? If so, you might want to ask that she not put "will be a top notch internist" in her letter. Hopefully it will be something vague like "derm83 will be an excellent resident physician in any field". Given the user name, why aren't you going into Derm?
 
How about "ranked among the top 5 percent out of a class of 300"?

Sounds great 👍



Send her the IM one.

Does she know you're also applying for Rads? If so, you might want to ask that she not put "will be a top notch internist" in her letter. Hopefully it will be something vague like "derm83 will be an excellent resident physician in any field".

I haven't told her about what specialty I'm applying for. It sounds fine to tell her I'm applying for IM and Rad, and would appreciate the generalization in her letter. However, wouldn't that make me look such a hypocrite when I send her my IM PS which is supposed to show how passionate I am about IM?


Given the user name, why aren't you going into Derm?
I used to be interested in derm but then changed my mind.
 
I haven't told her about what specialty I'm applying for. It sounds fine to tell her I'm applying for IM and Rad, and would appreciate the generalization in her letter. However, wouldn't that make me look such a hypocrite when I send her my IM PS which is supposed to show how passionate I am about IM?

You don't HAVE to tell her what you're applying for, or you can be vague and say you're considering IM and Rads but haven't decided yet. She should know to make the last line appropriately vague, although even if she doesn't, its not a death sentence as long as its a good letter OW.

I'd say you just ask for the letter, give her the IM personal statement and take it from there if she doesn't ask.
 
You don't HAVE to tell her what you're applying for, or you can be vague and say you're considering IM and Rads but haven't decided yet. She should know to make the last line appropriately vague, although even if she doesn't, its not a death sentence as long as its a good letter OW.

I'd say you just ask for the letter, give her the IM personal statement and take it from there if she doesn't ask.

Alright, sounds great. Thanks.
 
I got ahead of myself and put "Laparoscopic and General Surgeon" for the Author Title and now can't edit it because the slot is reserved.

Is this a big deal?? Should I make another slot that states "Professor"?
 
One of my letter writers just moved on to another institution in a different state. It happens to be a program I'm probably applying to (but he is in a different department). Do I use his new title/institution, or the one from my school?
 
I got ahead of myself and put "Laparoscopic and General Surgeon" for the Author Title and now can't edit it because the slot is reserved.

Is this a big deal?? Should I make another slot that states "Professor"?

One of my letter writers just moved on to another institution in a different state. It happens to be a program I'm probably applying to (but he is in a different department). Do I use his new title/institution, or the one from my school?

The answer to both questions is "No one will care". It's the content of the letter that counts, not what's on the description line.
 
if you are not sure what specialty or if you are applying to two specialties, do you tell your letter writer that so it is a vague letter in terms of career but obviously still accentuates your characteristics of a good doctor?

or should you just different letters from different people and have them write it specifically for 1 specialty.

general consensus?
 
Hi all,
I am an FMG who finished medicine residency and am now applying for a cards fellowship. Is it necessary to have an MSPE from the medical school from other countries as well. OR will the Dean's letter suffice? Thanks.
 
Top