LORs for postdoc apps

[MiniLop]

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So for postdoc, I am planning to apply to X types of sites. Prior to internship, I did 2 different practica at X type sites. However, I'm currently on internship at a Y type site. So to me, it seems obvious that for my 3 LORs for postdoc apps, I would use my grad school advisor and 2 supervisors from the 2 X type practicum sites. My advisor agrees. However, my internship supervisor says it would be a red flag if I didn't use an LOR from an internship supervisor (arguing that a potential postdoc would want some indication that I didn't turn into a total ****up as soon as I left for internship). I find this odd, as I've only been on internship for about 3 months (so my supervisor here would have a lot less to say than a past practicum supervisor who worked with me for a year) and it seems like an LOR from a Y type site would be less meaningful than one from an X type site anyway.

So what does the hivemind think? Do I need an LOR from my current supervisor (with whom I do work very different than what I would do on postdoc) or is it ok to stick exclusively to past supervisors, (with whom I did work very similar to what I would do on postdoc)?

 

[CatLover&PsychEnthusiast]

I would absolutely get a LOR from your internship site, it also shows continuity. As in, this new supervisor thinks you’re good too and says similar things about you. I do think you would be shooting yourself in the foot if you didn’t.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[str63]

I'm a training director. It would be a red flag to not have a LOR from your internship. I would think something happened/is going poorly. Yes, previous supervisors may have known you for longer, but your internship supervisor can speak to your current abilities (hopefully you've grown since your practicum experiences!). Even though your internship is a different type of site, they could still talk about generalizable abilities.

 

[WisNeuro]

I'll 2nd what @str63 said. It definitely looks weird not having a letter from your internship site when applying to postdoc. I would immediately think that something bad had happened on internship that the applicant was trying to hide. And, in the couple cases where someone did an internship with people I personally knew, I contacted them and indeed this was the case. As mentioned, when reviewing applications, we want to see the depth of your specialty experience (if you are applying to a specialty postdoc) but we also want to know about your recent work, particularly if you just spent a year doing clinical work at that site.

 

[foreverbull]

Even though you haven’t known your clinical director/supervisor very long, I’d strongly suggest getting a letter from your internship site. It’s expected and standard practice to write letters early in internship because they understand the postdoc process and are used to writing letters for interns; it’s more unusual for a sup to not write for an intern for postdocs, even if the postdoc might not be completely related.

I agree that it’d be a red flag to not have an internship supervisor provide a letter. Also better to have an LOR from internship because it is far more intensive than a 20-hour a week practicum site (more hours, closer supervision). This is the stage where some of the red flags can come up that went under the radar before but come out when you have so much interaction with supervisors, so they need to see that you handle the full-time stress well and are competent yet open to feedback.

 

[mypointlesspov]

Does it look weird if I submit letters from two different supervisors at my internship? They both supervise different aspects of my training (one = PCIT, one = TFCBT, CBT). I was wondering this especially for some sites that only ask for two LoRs.

 

[str63]

Does it look weird if I submit letters from two different supervisors at my internship? They both supervise different aspects of my training (one = PCIT, one = TFCBT, CBT). I was wondering this especially for some sites that only ask for two LoRs.

I'd recommend doing at least one from grad school and at least one from internship. If they only request two, then 1 from each. If you did them only from internship, a site may think it's a red flag/something happened in your program.

 

[MiniLop]

Just to bring this one back up, what if a postdoc site only wants 2 LORs? Which two of the following should I use?
1 - Grad school mentor/research advisor (enthusiastic)
2 - Former prac supervisor (likely enthusiastic)
3 - Current internship supervisor (presumably positive, but less detailed)

 

[futureapppsy2]

Just to bring this one back up, what if a postdoc site only wants 2 LORs? Which two of the following should I use?
1 - Grad school mentor/research advisor (enthusiastic)
2 - Former prac supervisor (likely enthusiastic)
3 - Current internship supervisor (presumably positive, but less detailed)

I'd suggest 1 and 3.

 

[mypointlesspov]

Just to bring this one back up, what if a postdoc site only wants 2 LORs? Which two of the following should I use?
1 - Grad school mentor/research advisor (enthusiastic)
2 - Former prac supervisor (likely enthusiastic)
3 - Current internship supervisor (presumably positive, but less detailed)

I second what @futureapppsy2 said. It turns out that my internship supervisors are going to write one together, so I'll be using #1 and #3 for sites that ask for two letters.

 

[MiniLop]

I second what @futureapppsy2 said. It turns out that my internship supervisors are going to write one together, so I'll be using #1 and #3 for sites that ask for two letters.

Oh, so the guy in the $5,000 suit is going to ask for a letter of recommendation from the guy who doesn't make that in three months?!? COME ON!!!!

 

[psychdoc001]

How many sites do you apply for postdoc?

 

[foreverbull]

How many sites do you apply for postdoc?

Dreading post-doc apps

To say I'm dreading the quickly approaching post-doc applications would be a major understatement. With having internship apps less than a year behind me, dissertation defense coming up, and working over 40 hours at my internship, I am pretty damn tired of it all at this point. I was...

forums.studentdoctor.net

This gets asked every year. Quick answer: depends on where you are applying and how competitive the sites (and how many slots are open for postdocs). Some people apply to as few as 5, some 10+. Some find it easier than securing a spot for internship, some find it harder. Anecdotally, wide variation overall, so you might want to consider saturation/competitiveness of the site, whether your TD knows other TDs at sites you're applying to, etc.

 

[mypointlesspov]

How many sites do you apply for postdoc?

I'm applying to 15. More than most people (my TD said 6-10 is average), but I'm applying in a really sought after area and I want to maximize my chances of getting a position.

 

[forensic13]

I'm applying to five

 

[psych1420]

Oh, so the guy in the $5,000 suit is going to ask for a letter of recommendation from the guy who doesn't make that in three months?!? COME ON!!!!

Whoever you are, this comment made my night. Bravo!