minimum LoR for IM

[mossyfiber12]

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So how many LoRs do I need to apply? I will be going into IM and will soon start my sub-I in medicine so I wanted to get an idea.

I heard people saying you need 3 or so clinical letters. how is this possible? I could ask my 3rd year medicine attendings but I hardly spent any time with either one (about 2 wks each). Since it has been a while, they probably won't even be able to write a good letter for me...bah.

4th year is already turning out to be more stressful than I thought.

 

[DrVanNostran]

So how many LoRs do I need to apply? I will be going into IM and will soon start my sub-I in medicine so I wanted to get an idea.

I heard people saying you need 3 or so clinical letters. how is this possible? I could ask my 3rd year medicine attendings but I hardly spent any time with either one (about 2 wks each). Since it has been a while, they probably won't even be able to write a good letter for me...bah.

4th year is already turning out to be more stressful than I thought.

1. Chairman letter-request from secretary or directly
2. Sub-I letter
3. Letter from another IM faculty you worked with. 2 weeks is plenty if it was a good inpatient service IMO
4. Optional for most places, but a research letter or another clinician

 

[ShyRem]

3 letters is standard. They don't ALL need to be from IM folks - you can have a letter that is really outstanding from another specialty. Some programs view that as a good thing - well rounded. You want LORs that show you are enthusiastic, have a good thought process, excited to learn, and show off your strengths.

I know someone who got a really really good letter for IM from a surgeon of all things. I've also seen good letters for IM from psych, geriatrics, cardiology, nephrology, all sorts of IM subspecialties, and of course research letters.

 

[OveractiveBrain]

1. Chairman letter-request from secretary or directly
2. Sub-I letter
3. Letter from another IM faculty you worked with. 2 weeks is plenty if it was a good inpatient service IMO
4. Optional for most places, but a research letter or another clinician

Nailed it. This is ideally how it would go. Also Harry Potter sucks...