Needing input about a LOR

[kid Icarus 3]

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I have most of my letters lined up for ophtho match and prelim year but the one thing I'm missing is an IM/FM letter writer. I have a great opportunity to have a strong letter written for me by an IM doc that I've been working with lately but he is a DO and I am an MD student. Would ophtho programs or prelim years see this as being odd? Maybe I'm just carrying over the rule that when applying to MD programs only get MD letters. Is there a similar feeling to applying to ophtho programs? I'm not one of those anti-DO people by any means, just wanting some honest feedback if this seems strange to anyone. All my other letter writers are MD's. Thanks!!

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I think that'll be fine. I bet people hardly look at the non ophtho letter.

 

[DrZeke]

Why does it have to be IM/FM?

 

[kid Icarus 3]

Thanks for the responses. I have heard that having an IM/FM letter looks good for various reasons but who really knows I guess... it's all just what people say. Currently I have two ophtho and a peds surgeon writing my letters for my ophtho app. My prelim letters would be a pediatrician, an ophtho, and potentially this DO letter. I guess I don't really know what prelim years are looking for in regard to LOR. I was assuming I shouldn't use both ophtho writers for my prelim year as well. Thoughts? Thanks again.

 

[eye love lamp]

Thanks for the responses. I have heard that having an IM/FM letter looks good for various reasons but who really knows I guess... it's all just what people say. Currently I have two ophtho and a peds surgeon writing my letters for my ophtho app. My prelim letters would be a pediatrician, an ophtho, and potentially this DO letter. I guess I don't really know what prelim years are looking for in regard to LOR. I was assuming I shouldn't use both ophtho writers for my prelim year as well. Thoughts? Thanks again.

Two ophtho + peds surgeon is great. Why not use them for your prelim too?

I didn't bother getting different LORs for prelim year.

 

[kid Icarus 3]

I guess I haven't really thought about this but is it okay to use the exact same letters? I figured the LOR for the ophtho application would speak a lot about me "being a great future ophtho", etc. and prelim years wouldn't really be interested in that. If I can just submit the exact same letters that is a lot easier.

 

[OphthoApp]

Pre-Lim programs know you aren't doing medicine/surg ect so just use the same letters. They expect it. It is sort of silly to have a letter that says you love medicine yet you chose Ophtho.

 

[kid Icarus 3]

Makes sense. I guess I wouldn't have asked them to rave about my love of medicine but speak to my ability to do well in a prelim year. But hopefully they get that idea from my ophtho letters as well. Thanks, friends... you just made my life easier.