Non-MD/DO Letters of Rec

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TheBoneDoctah

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For residency, do all the letters of rec need to be from MD/DO or can they be from a Ph.D who worked with you and knows you well (as long as you have other MD/DO letters as well)?

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This is field specific and even then it will vary by PD. For example, often times a surgical sub residency wants all 4 letters from surgeons in that field and won’t look at any from docs in other specialties, let alone a non clinical doc. However you’ll also talk to PDs who will say they like seeing that letter as clearly the person knows you well and can offer a differing perspective.

If research is a big part of your application and “brand” you’re selling via your ERAS it may be a good move to use it. If not you might want to play it safe and stick with whatever the field usually prefers to see for letters. If you’re applying for less competitive fields they likely won’t care as much and will likely enjoy seeing this letter. But if the norm is “submit 4 letters from docs in this field” think carefully before you swims against the current.

Hard to make a judgement call without knowing your details, but in general you can probably use it and benefit from it yes just be aware that exceptions exist.

(source=talking to various PDs in surgery and a sub specialty)
 
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One of my buddies had a letter from a PhD and from what he’s told me, it was well-received
This is field specific and even then it will vary by PD. For example, often times a surgical sub residency wants all 4 letters from surgeons in that field and won’t look at any from docs in other specialties, let alone a non clinical doc. However you’ll also talk to PDs who will say they like seeing that letter as clearly the person knows you well and can offer a differing perspective.

If research is a big part of your application and “brand” you’re selling via your ERAS it may be a good move to use it. If not you might want to play it safe and stick with whatever the field usually prefers to see for letters. If you’re applying for less competitive fields they likely won’t care as much and will likely enjoy seeing this letter. But if the norm is “submit 4 letters from docs in this field” think carefully before you swims against the current.

Hard to make a judgement call without knowing your details, but in general you can probably use it and benefit from it yes just be aware that exceptions exist.

(source=talking to various PDs in surgery and a sub specialty)
I am a DO student applying to previously DO ortho programs.
 
If you did significant research with a PhD mentor without interaction with MDs/DOs, then I would consider a LoR from them, assuming applying to a field that prioritizes research.

As you are applying to ortho, you better have ortho letters, not from a PhD.
 
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If you did significant research with a PhD mentor without interaction with MDs/DOs, then I would consider a LoR from them, assuming applying to a field that prioritizes research.

As you are applying to ortho, you better have ortho letters, not from a PhD.

Agreed. Ortho definitely falls into the category where they generally want only “field specific MD/DO letters” as far as I understand. You might still ask for the mentor letter and send it as a 4th letter to a handful of programs that have a heavy research focus in the residency or program’s mission, but I personally would not use it as a 4th letter for all programs.
 
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You need physician letters, more specifically, you need ortho letters, not PhD. Ortho is a specialty that highly values their own evaluation/opinions.

My school had a session where PDs from most specialties came and talked about what they wanted in application, and the ortho PD (as well as the rest of any surgical related specialty) said they wanted letters from their own field.
 
I am a DO student applying to previously DO ortho programs.

As someone in this position this year, who had a letter from my research PhD mentor, it was very well received. But as others have said the rest of them were ortho letters and those were brought up more because people especially at the DO programs know each other.
 
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