LORs

[BRCA1]

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Hey folks,

I know this topic has been discussed numerous times before, but wanted some thoughts. I'm still waiting for my 4th year clinical track assignment (should be here in a few weeks) before I go about scheduling my externship(s). I'm starting to think about compiling LORs for ERAS and am looking for some guidance.

My thoughts on LORs:

1. My PhD advisor (an MD, pathologist, and director of my institution's cancer center)

2. A new faculty in rad onc with whom I have spent some clinical time and am working on a clinical research project. She also just finished her fellowship at the place I would like to go for residency.

3. A med onc with whom I have done quite a bit of translational research and with whom I hope to do my Sub-I (if my institution will allow me to spend most of my time in breast oncology).

4. Someone (hopefully a big name) from my away rotation(s).

Good enough? Major gaps? Alternate suggestions?

Also, I am likely not going to be able to do my externship until September (after I do a rotation at my home institution in August). Am I wrong in assuming that my #4 from above will have time to submit his/her letter for review before institutions send out interview requests?

Cheers.

 

[Carlin]

This sounds perfectly reasonable. Asking someone to write a letter in September is plenty of time. Even though you can submit ERAS on Sept 15, most rad onc programs aren't going to start looking at apps for weeks or months afterwards. I asked an MD from an away rotation I did in September to write me a letter. It was posted to ERAS in mid-October and worked out great.

Something to think about, but probably not mandatory-- If you'll be applying to some IM prelim programs, you might want to get a letter from an IM doc as well.

Definitely sounds like you're on top of things early in the game. Good luck!

 

[FreeRadical2013]

Agree with your approach as well. FYI, some programs have specific letter reqs. For example, Penn asks specifically for a letter from your medicine department chair, or at least they did a few years ago.