PD will not write me a letter!

[Rony]

Hi everyone,

As you know, most Internal Medicine and other programs stipulate that a letter of recommendation from the outgoing Program Director be provided. I had a recent fall-out with my Program Director about several issues. I am transferring out on not-so-good terms...no risk management/patient care issues here I should point out...He initially agreed to write me a letter and then retracted his offer saying after much though that he cannot write one since it will not be supportive of my application. I have plenty of letter writers elsewhere but some programs insist on one from the PD..what should I do? Thanks!

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[yaah]

Talk to GME at your institution. They can guide you.

 

[pgg]

I had a recent fall-out with my Program Director about several issues.

What issues?

 

[Wednesday]

I think you are only required to have a letter that states which rotations you completed and which ones you will complete and that you are in good standing in the program (ie not on probation for something). It doesn't necessarily need to be a recommendation letter. And you will definitely need this letter since it accounts for your time in residency up to this point.

 

[obasanjo]

are you going to repeat the year or moving to the next level? if repeating the year, you can do without it.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I thik Wednesday is correct - the letter need not be "supporting your application" but rather a simple statement of facts: you were a resident at Insitution X from date 1 to date 2, are not on probation and are in good standing at the time of the letter writing.

That is the general consensus. If your new program requires a letter of recommendation or support, then you have a problem. Talk with them about what specifically they require.

If the OP could answer a question for me:

it seems like we've had a lot of posts recently from people wanting to transfer programs/stating they are transferring but are having trouble with letters

aren't the letters required before you are offered a contract?

The reason I ask is that it seems like a lot of posters here have burned bridges, fostered a poor relationship with their current PD (which wasn't the reason for wanting to transfer in the beginning), and don't have a signed contract from another program. I'm not sure if I misunderstand the process - ie, you can have a signed contract without having all your letters in - or if some residents are perhaps managing things a bit poorly.

 

[obasanjo]

well, my case might be very different and maybe unique. I have not heard it any where else. Since it is so unique, if I post it here, anyone in my current program will know that I am the one.
Anyway, if anyone is interested in knowing more, can contact me in pvt.

I did get another spot in the same speciality with no letter (literally no letter from my PD or faculty) I used one letter from a non faculty attending and my previous LOR I used the year before. but I will be repeating PGY1.
before I was offered the position, the program director in the program I applied seem not to believe my story the way I told him, so he had to call my PD for more information. I was so surprise when he offered me the contract. I have no idea what my current PD told him, but i am so happy to be out of this hell.

Now I feel much better and getting a lot of respect from every one in my program, including my current PD (who can't find a reason to fire me, though he put me on probation barely after 72 days from the start of the contract though I have normal schedule like any other intern)

to summarize, it seems like the letter from the PD is not fundamental if you are going to repeat PGY1. I might be wrong, but that is what happened to me.

 

[Rony]

Kimberli, you are correct. So as far as I know, a contract is rarely offered before the application is complete, i.e. before the letters are received.
However, you may be offered an interview in the interim (just like cases in the regular Match).

My situation is as follows: my current PD promised me to help me find another job after we agreed to disagree. I was placed on probabtion and subsequently fired recklessly when my PD overreacted to a seemingly benign transgression on my part. I am remorseless at this point since even if I go back, I will be portrayed as the black sheep.

In other words, he is a hypocrite as far as I am concerned.
As Wednesday said, a letter outlining rotations, maybe we can call it a letter of "verification" was provided still with the unfair probation mentioned. The honorable thing to do, I think, is mention the entire incident with details because not doing so implies the circumstances were unequivocal, which they certainly were not.

I may just take my chances without it.