Need Some Advice

[MS05']

So I'm in the process of getting my LOR together and am figuring out who I would like to write my third and final letter. It was suggested to me by an EM attending to have all 3 of my letter come from EM boarded docs because a letter from someone not in EM would look bad (i.e. that I couldn't get a letter from an EM doc so I had to go to someone else.). However, there's an IM doc who I know would write a great letter verse the EM doc I'm thinking of using for my third letter, who wouldn't necessarily write a bad letter, but I had less interaction with him so he doesn't know me as well.

Long story short...should I go with the IM or the EM letter? My two previous EM letters are from the Chairman and an EM doc.

Thanks!

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[Febrifuge]

So, the choices are

1. [EM Dept Chair/ EM Doc/ Glowing Letter from IM Doc who Knows You Well] or
2. [EM Dept Chair/ EM Doc/ Average Letter from Some Other EM Doc]?

I see the attending's point, and without being more in the head of the people evaluating you, I can't say with authority... but in my opinion, option 1 is about 5000% better. I guess it's partly in how the IM guy says "I'd love to see this applicant working... in another specialty."

 

[DrQuinn]

Go for option uno.

I had four letters...
EM Residency Program Attending
Community EM Physician
Trauma Surgeon
Pulmonologist

My letter from the Trauma Surgeon was by far the best and almost every program commented on it... one even said "Applicants always wish for this sort of LOR in their application." It didnt' hurt that I wrote the LOR and the attending signed it (he just said "write the letter and I'll sign it). tee-hee.

Q

 

[MS05']

Go for option uno.

I had four letters...
EM Residency Program Attending
Community EM Physician
Trauma Surgeon
Pulmonologist

My letter from the Trauma Surgeon was by far the best and almost every program commented on it... one even said "Applicants always wish for this sort of LOR in their application." It didnt' hurt that I wrote the LOR and the attending signed it (he just said "write the letter and I'll sign it). tee-hee.

Q

nice!

 

[Seaglass]

Always go for the better letter (as long as you have the basic reqs down for EM letters). Of course it would be ideal to get a kick-ass letter from an EM attending but a good letter is a good letter. By the same token a mediocre letter is just that - mediocre, no matter who wrote it.

 

[NinerNiner999]

Go for the better letter, and get it turned in one month ago. Incomplete applications wait (and get passed over) until they are finalized. Not to make you worry too much, but you may be behind the eight ball...

 

[MS05']

Go for the better letter, and get it turned in one month ago. Incomplete applications wait (and get passed over) until they are finalized. Not to make you worry too much, but you may be behind the eight ball...

This was something I had worried about for some time, but due to the "great insight" of my school, transcripts haven't even gone out yet, in addition to our dean's letters (nov. 1), so I'm not too worried as I have 2/3 letters in an uploaded so far.

 

[pman95]

So I'm in the process of getting my LOR together and am figuring out who I would like to write my third and final letter. It was suggested to me by an EM attending to have all 3 of my letter come from EM boarded docs because a letter from someone not in EM would look bad (i.e. that I couldn't get a letter from an EM doc so I had to go to someone else.). However, there's an IM doc who I know would write a great letter verse the EM doc I'm thinking of using for my third letter, who wouldn't necessarily write a bad letter, but I had less interaction with him so he doesn't know me as well.

Long story short...should I go with the IM or the EM letter? My two previous EM letters are from the Chairman and an EM doc.

Thanks!

I would definitely go for the better letter from an IM physician. I did the same thing 2 awesome EM LOR's and an incredible letter from IM. I had no problems getting interviews...

As is being said in the previous replies....better is better....mediocre is mediocre.