LORs and Research

[med learner]

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Hi present and furture radiation oncologists,
I am a third year medical school student that will be applying for radiation oncology in 2.5 month or so 🙂.
I had a 3 questions (multiple segments) if some one can help me with
1) how many LOR are needed for the field? and how many from Rad Onc faculty do you need? if I can get 5 for example and the needed is three do I turn in 5 or 3?
2) This is more of a situation question: I was wondering if my research background it good I have the following experiance
a) two basic sinence research projects (one oncology other nuerology) that led to no publication
b) I have a retrospective radiation oncology study that lead to an already published abstract and poster (second author)
c) I had a retropsective study in Rad Oncthat lead to a submitted abstract to ASTRO that was rejected. ( do I mention this in application process or not)
d) I have two case reports and a litreature review, that will be sumbitted within the next two weeks (all three first author)
e) I will be picking another case report at least next month
My question is that good research background espacilly that most of my projects at time of application would be submitted but not published yet
finally, if I have done three departmental presentations (cancer and rad onc related) would these could these be counted in the presentations in the publication/presentation section, or does that section specify poster presentations
Thank you all for your help. If you read through this long post than you are a true student doctor addict. Thanxs

 

[Gfunk6]

I agree with everything shogun posted. To add a couple of points:

1. Most programs ask you to assign three LORs and some allow you to upload more. I think asking for four LORs from Rad Onc physicians would be completely safe. You can assign different LORs to different programs.

2. Departmental presentations should NOT be included in ERAS.

 

[med learner]

Thank you guys for the reply. I am a little bit nervous about my research experiance as I feel it is below the average of the application pool.
Also, sorry about misspells, if it gave you guys a headache😳.
Any way keep the advices and hard work going🙂

 

[Neuronix]

1) how many LOR are needed for the field? and how many from Rad Onc faculty do you need? if I can get 5 for example and the needed is three do I turn in 5 or 3?

The ERAS limit is 4 LORs. Just so you know, you CAN trick ERAS into sending more than 4 LORs. Most people argue that you should not do this--it's annoying and it's deceptive. That being said, I've been to two programs now where they commented that many applicants have five or six letters and they think it's normal. That's very frustrating. Almost as frustrating as a 99 step 1 score being called a 99th percentile (IT ISN'T unless your three digit is somewhere in the 280 range).

Anyway, how many letters do you NEED? You should probably do three rad onc and one other letter, and that's kind of the standard. But, you could apply with two rad onc or four rad onc. No less than two for sure.

2) This is more of a situation question: I was wondering if my research background it good I have the following experiance
a) two basic sinence research projects (one oncology other nuerology) that led to no publication
b) I have a retrospective radiation oncology study that lead to an already published abstract and poster (second author)
c) I had a retropsective study in Rad Oncthat lead to a submitted abstract to ASTRO that was rejected. ( do I mention this in application process or not)
d) I have two case reports and a litreature review, that will be sumbitted within the next two weeks (all three first author)
e) I will be picking another case report at least next month
My question is that good research background espacilly that most of my projects at time of application would be submitted but not published yet
finally, if I have done three departmental presentations (cancer and rad onc related) would these could these be counted in the presentations in the publication/presentation section, or does that section specify poster presentations

Would be helpful to have something published. I would say one first author clinical research published paper is almost standard. If you have one, that won't hold you back whatsoever. In my experience, clinical grades, step 1 score, LORs are still way more important than research, even at top programs.

 

[DrVanNostran]

If a program asks for 3 LOR, do all 3 have to be from clinical rotations? How about 3 MD/PhDs: 2 from clinical rotations, 1 research mentor?